More than just a festival

Published 7:01 am Sunday, August 9, 2015

If there’s anything we’ve tried to prove in the last four years, it’s that finding art is only a matter of deciding to find it; that is, art is in the eye of the beholder.

Or, in the case of the Main Street Celebration on Aug. 22, the tongue of the taster, the ear of the listener, etc.

In addition to the ArtWorks Center’s trunk show (which we covered last week— try to keep up), Main Street will host a menagerie of activities on Saturday, Aug. 22— from the revival of the Spare Arts motorcycle show, to a food truck featuring something of a “homecooked” menu, to a Guinness World Record attempt.

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The attempt to break the world record for most people blowing bubbles at one time is somewhat apropos to the festival’s long-running themes of both community and, well, bubbles.

The event, which was organized and sponsored by the Destination Downtown committee, requires the help of community members of all ages and places. The “community bubble blast” will take place on Main Street between 9 a.m. to noon, and everyone is invited. The event is BYOW (bring your own wand), but the committee will provide bubble solution.

While the museum is under construction, Spam itself has taken a road trip of sorts. Hormel decided to take its flagship product to 12 cities throughout the summer (and saving the best for last, of course), kicking off their coast-to-coast tour in Los Angeles and has collecting works of art in multiple mediums — food being just one of them.

Food Network Chef Sunny Anderson has accompanied the truck, unveiling a special menu along the way and partnering with local chefs to create signature recipes and share the brand’s history, versatility, and cultural impact.

“For many years now, I have been a fan of the Spam brand; its flavor and versatility lends itself to so many different cooking styles and recipes,” said Sunny Anderson. “The Spamerican Tour brings together such a unique curation of Spam dishes and is a celebration of the iconic taste that Americans and chefs, like myself, have grown to love.”

Check out Anderson’s menu (Coconut Spam Spears with Spicy Pineapple Chutney is just one of its items), as well as the artwork that the tour has collected on its journey, in front of the museum construction site on Saturday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

And while you’re munching on samples, don’t forget to check out the Spare Arts bike show. The custom motorcycle show, which was a highlight of last year’s Festival, will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.