We Need You!

"Why Volunteer?

Part of being a great volunteer is loving what you're doing. Find something that you're passionate about or something that inspires you, and then find a need in your community."
More here.

Volunteers -- make the events of the Fun Fourth Festival happen!

From the volunteers on the Freedom Run Course who make sure runners are hydrated to the volunteers who portray Uncle Sam to the volunteers with the Greensboro Concert Band and Philharmonia who perform the 1812 Overture with the fireworks -- we are grateful to all of our volunteers!





As you can imagine..we always need more volunteers...selling tickets, helping kids on and off the big slide, marching in the Parade with our Junk Jam Group, feeding the volunteers, collecting cans for Urban Ministry, helping with arts & crafts, beer sales, souvenir sales...you name it we have it all!! If you are interested in becoming a volunteer -- look at this or give us a call 336.274.4595!


We need you!!

Confessions of a Summer Intern

Here I am at the beginning of my fourth week at Grassroots Productions Ltd. as a summer intern!! I have gotten a fairly good idea of what goes on around here and have had the pleasure of working with a fine group of ladies!( My very FIRST all-female, work environment, mind you.) This is quite the change for me, having been in several co-ed positions in my past jobs and trying to fight my collegiate-boy crazyness. No more extreme primping before work or major outfit-adjusting throughout the day in hopes that my “work crush” will be scheduled along side me. Just a friendly, low-stress, girl power work place, which turns out, suits me just fine! In my few weeks here, interspersed with the errand-running, letter-stuffing, letter-labeling, and trudging up and down Elm Street, have been some very valuable lessons, which I would like to share with you here!

1. Having a key made is not quite as easy as it looks.

2. Even your most reliable pair of comfortable flip flops will give you a fierce blister given the right weather conditions.

3. Mr. Cone has a very eclectic taste in music, including the musical stylings of Rabbe Soul.

4. Letter-stuffing and labeling, although unfortunately monotonous and slightly boring, is so crucial to getting the word out about Grassroots’ events.

5. Although a beautiful shoe, the Navajo Jack Rogers sandal, should not be worn when walking distances longer than 2 blocks.

6. Grassroots could not function without its amazing volunteers who work so hard to make the Fun Fourth Festival a success.

7. Making an easily-spinning pinwheel out of construction paper and a drinking straw is a lot harder than you’d think!

8. The Fun Fourth Festival is actually on the THIRD this year!

9. Canned foods can be sculpted into really amazing works of art. Everyone will get to see this in action at our Art Can! exhibit at the Fun Fourth Festival.

10. There are a lot of hidden treasure in downtown Greensboro that I am slowly discovering as my time at Grassroots continues (including Simple Kneads… yummm!).

These are just a few of the many lessons to come during my time as a summer intern. Hopefully I will do UNCG proud and be one step closer to that degree and becoming a member of the “real world”. I’m sure that in the following weeks leading up to the Festival I will have even more valuable lessons to share. Until then, if you spot me and Carissa running up and down Elm Street, stop us and say hi!

Craftscene Spotlight: Harp Guitar Guy - Andy Wahlberg

 

I am so excited to welcome Andy Wahlberg to the FunFourth Craftscene. This guy is AMAZING!!! Watch him play the unique Harp Guitar and pick up a copy of his latest CD. Check out the video below to get a taste of his great talent and visit his website at www.harpguitarguy.com...then be sure to come to the FunFourth Festival on July 3rd to see him in person!!  This is a do not miss!!

March On!!

Every year as we plan the Fun Fourth Festival Parade we try to find a Marching Band, because every parade needs a band!! We haven't, in the past, had much luck with marching bands as the high school and college bands are off for the summer. Over the years we have added Jamestown Pipes and Drums and Old South Dixieland as our Fun Fourth Bands and they are crowd favorites.

This year we are pleased to announce the addition of the Burlington Teen Tour Band -- Canada's Musical Ambassadors Since 1947!! This group of teens and young adults performs all over the world. They have performed in the Tournament of Rose's Parade, 60th Anniversary D-Day in France, St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland, Orange Bowl Parade, World Series in Toronto and in Itabashi, Japan.

This year they will be marching in the Fun Fourth Festival Independence Day Parade. Make sure you come on out to see them.

The parade is Saturday, July 3 and it kicks off the Festival at 9:30 am.

The Burlington Teen Tour Band will also perform on Stage 2 at Festival Park at 1:30pm.


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CraftScene SpotLight: Witchhazel Handmades

Justiann Ard is the creative force behind Witchhazel Handmades, a local, one-woman, handmade craft business she runs out of her home in the Glenwood neighborhood of Greensboro.  She specializes in making unique jewelry pendants out of glass and solder, some using vintage and foreign stamps which help define Justi's funky-chic style that is original and affordable.  Justi also makes wine journals, notebooks, candle shields and more which she sells online at her etsy store.  You can read more about Justi in her GoTriad interview, or better yet, you can see Justi and her creations at the FunFourth Street Festival- Saturday July 3rd downtown Greensboro.

Support your local Artists and Crafters.  Buy Local- Shop Handmade.