Inaugural Art eXplosion scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Grand Opera House

There’s not been anything quite like what’s happening at the Grand Opera House Saturday and Sunday — and that’s the point.

Upon entering the Grand’s first-ever Art eXplosion art and performance festival, don’t expect to simply find a seat and plop down for a show.



Instead, plan to roam the theater and its nooks and crannies to discover more than 30 painters, artists, artisans, dramatists, comedians, musicians and other Middle Georgia creatives who are presenting mini-concerts, little plays, skits, fashion shows, gallery shows, a late-night drag cabaret, artist and organization booths, sales displays and other spectator and interactive happenings.

It’s like the Grand and its hidden spots are welcoming the community to a multi-faceted entertainment fair.

“The idea grew directly from a discussion that artists had during 2020’s “On the Table Macon” community feedback sessions around the community,” said Julia Rubens, lead Art eXplosion organizer. “Painter Anna Richards led an artist’s table discussion and gave birth to the art and performance weekend as a radically inclusive festival featuring a wide range of artists, performers and creatives.

“We want it to foster the experimental and entrepreneurial spirit of local artists and provide audiences with unique, fun, family-friendly entertainment. Participating artists were encouraged to bring their weird, wacky and wonderful ideas and were then were selected through a blind-jury process to ensure fairness. We wanted to judge the idea and art rather than picking from a select group.”

Rubens said the format is modeled after fringe festivals popular in other cities such as the famed Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Whereas original fringe festivals and theaters designated shows not directly part of but on the fringe of other, larger events, it has come to be known as a wildly varied collection of participating talents who often are involved in cutting-edge arts and entertainment.

“It really is different from anything done here before,” Rubens said. “We encouraged pushing the envelope although the overall show is family-friendly. The more mature aspects are later in the evenings and in more behind-the-scenes spots.

There’s something — many things — happening all the time from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and a color-coded schedule will be up online at thegrandmacon.com. It will show what’s happening and any age-appropriate information that’s needed.”

Rubens said artists include traditional painters, multi-media artists, even an artist creating works using food and another creating on teabags. As said, there will be ongoing performances to take in and, among the larger interactive events to watch or participate in, there’s “Weird First Dates.” It’s referred to as an “intimate, non-intimidating, comedy speed dating experience and collective catharsis about bad dates we’ve been on.”

“Weird First Dates” takes place only on Saturday at 7 p.m. with speed-dating rounds in the Grand’s box seats and “winners” getting the opportunity to participate in a second-date/comedy show on the Grand’s stage.

The weird speed dating was Reuben’s idea. Ruben is not only an area performer and committed arts activist but she serves as director of arts marketing for Mercer University and promotes the Grand Opera House and other Mercer arts venues, programs and organizations.

She assures envelopes will be pushed, new art and information seen and fun had. Ruben also said a supplemental goal of the Art eXplosion is to open the Grand to new and different audiences, stressing the venue isn’t just for one type of entertainment or one sort of crowd but for the entire community and all ages.

A one-time, $5-ticket purchase allows entry for the whole two-day festival with an exclusive Art eXplosion button guaranteeing return admittance. Information and ticketing are at thegrandmacon.com.

A reminder: the Grand has another madly creative event scheduled for Oct. 30 when “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” screens and audiences are again encouraged to “dress the parts” in traditional Halloween fashion.

Note face masks are currently required at the Grand for all events regardless of vaccination status.

Also Saturday, the Jazz Association of Macon returns with its free, annual Jazz & Arts on Riverdale Festival following a 2020 COVID-19 hiatus.

The festival is from noon until 6 p.m. and features live jazz, art booths, a kid’s corner, a food truck and more. Organizers say a lawn chair or picnic blanket might help enjoyment of the music during the historic Riverdale Drive block party.

“The neighborhood has embraced the festival since it began in 2004,” said festival chairman Dr. Edward Clark, a Riverdale resident himself and chair of pediatrics at Atrium Health Navicent downtown.

Clark plays saxophone with the association’s JAM All-Stars and other local jazz groups. The association annually sponsors student scholarships, has provided aid to musicians and, in non-COVID years, performs in area schools to further the goal of preserving, promoting and playing jazz.

Though the event is free, come prepared to help raise funds for the association’s mission through a silent auction, festival T-shirt and poster purchases, donations and other means.

“We’re just glad we’re able to get back at it this year and know those who come will have a lot of fun, see and get to purchase a variety of art, jewelry and artisan crafts and enjoy some great, great jazz from a variety of groups,” Clark said.

Find the association and more information about them and the festival at www.maconjazz.org.

Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.