Bloomington Handmade Market, 'Art of Peace' discussion, podcast preview this weekend

Carol Kugler, The Herald-Times
·4 min read

This weekend's entertainment offers nostalgia mixed with early Christmas spirit and a thought-provoking discussion of "The Art of Peace." Speaking of thoughtful: Get a jump on your holiday shopping at the Bloomington Handmade Market. Not quite ready to put up the tree? Revel in autumn by heading out to Stillwater Marsh for some birdwatching.

Thursday's Come to the Table topic: Art of Peace

The Community Justice and Mediation Center will host Come to the Table, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday at the John Waldron Arts Center, 122 S. Walnut St. Centered around "The Art of Peace" an interactive panel will discuss the arts' profound impact on conflict transformation by fostering dialogue, understanding and empathy.

Local community members on the panel include Heather Akou (fashion design), Connie Cook Glen (music), and Gus Weltsek (performance). Tickets are $70-$100 per person and are available at https://tinyurl.com/jyrvxhvr.

Waterfowl including ducks may be seen at the upcoming Ducks & Donuts event hosted by Sassafras Audubon Society.
Waterfowl including ducks may be seen at the upcoming Ducks & Donuts event hosted by Sassafras Audubon Society.

Go birdwatching Saturday by joining Sassafras Audubon Society for Ducks & Donuts

The Sassafras Audubon Society will have its semi-annual Ducks & Donuts event 8-11 a.m. Saturday at Stillwater Marsh observation platform on McGowan Road.

Eat doughnuts, drink coffee and spot ducks and other birds through binoculars and spotting scopes at this free event for birding, chatting and sharing your best duck ID tips. Birders of all ages and levels of experience are welcome.

Special and unique: Artists' creations highlight Bloomington Handmade Market

Asher Hahn, 3, pats down his crochet beard during the Handmade Market at the convention center in this undated file photo. Asher’s parents, Australian natives Matthew and Leonie Hahn, bought their sons, Asher and Tristan, 6, gray and blond crochet beards, which the boys wore as they visited various booths.
Asher Hahn, 3, pats down his crochet beard during the Handmade Market at the convention center in this undated file photo. Asher’s parents, Australian natives Matthew and Leonie Hahn, bought their sons, Asher and Tristan, 6, gray and blond crochet beards, which the boys wore as they visited various booths.

More than 100 artisans will display and sell their work 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Bloomington Handmade Market at the Monroe Convention Center, 302 S. College Ave. The first 30 people in line both days will get a free swag bag. Admission and parking are free. Vendors will be upstairs and downstairs and concessions and kids booths will be part of both days. Santa will make an appearance Sunday in the lobby.

Coming in 2024: Kane Brown to headline concert at Indiana University's Memorial Stadium

Advance preview of 'George Bailey Was Never Born' podcast at Sinkhole on Sunday

Come meet the Bloomingtonians behind George Bailey Was Never Born, the new iHeartMedia one-of-a-kind podcast event about America, the Christmas classic "It’s a Wonderful Life," and you. It's 4-6 p.m. Sunday at the Sinkhole Craft Beer Bar, 303 E. Winslow Road.

The many key Bloomington-based makers of Double Asterisk/iHeart Media's new 10-episode audio-docu "America & It's a Wonderful Life" podcast George Bailey Was Never Born will meet and greet people in the only-in-the-nation advance preview of the podcast. Release date for all 10 episodes is Nov. 21. Co-creator Ray Nowosielski will say something on stage at top, then as Episode 1 plays over speakers, customers and the podcasters can talk.

Bloomington folks involved include executive producers Ruth Vaca, John Duffy and Nowosielski, narrator Roy Sillings, sound designer and mixer Jon Autry, music score composer Zachary Walter, IU alumna co-producer Mallory Keenoy, Airtime studio's David Weber, publicist Ron Kadish and seven interns sourced through Indiana University's Walter Center.

Voces Novae presents 'Six Degrees of Separation'

Voces Novae will present a short, thought-provoking choral concert exploring networks and connections, with music of the Beach Boys, Orlando di Lasso, Dominick DiOrio (world premiere), Arvo Pärt, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Franz Schubert, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Kurt Weill.

The concert begins at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 2120 N. Fee Lane. Admission is free; donations will be accepted at the door. A reception will follow.

Watch 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Monday at the library

While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers and brothers Mario and Luigi are transported through a mysterious pipe to a magical new world. But when the siblings are separated, an epic adventure begins.

Toad (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key, far left), Mario (Chris Pratt), Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) rev their engines on Rainbow Road in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie."
Toad (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key, far left), Mario (Chris Pratt), Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) rev their engines on Rainbow Road in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie."

Watch it all happen in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" 5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13, at the Monroe County Public Library, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave. For age 7 and older. Register at mcpl.info/calendar.

Contra dancing for all ages Wednesday at Harmony School

Dancers of all ages and skill levels are welcome to participate in the contra dances hosted by the Bloomington Old-Time Music and Dance Group. Most dances are in Harmony School's gym. This August 2021 dance was outdoors.
Dancers of all ages and skill levels are welcome to participate in the contra dances hosted by the Bloomington Old-Time Music and Dance Group. Most dances are in Harmony School's gym. This August 2021 dance was outdoors.

Contra dancing is a social folk dance that everyone can enjoy. New people are always welcome to come join in, meet new people and learn a traditional (and contemporary) dance form. No experience or partner is needed. Dance caller Kyla Wargel will teach participants all they need to follow the dance moves. Live old-time music will be performed by The Vexillations with Tom Yeiser on fiddle, Rob Fischman, guitar, and David Ernst, tenor banjo.

Doors open at 7 p.m. with beginner lesson at 7:10 and dancing for all 7:30-9:30 p.m. All ages. Suggested fee (on sliding scale) is $3-$20. Bloomington Old-Time Music and Dance Group sponsors the weekly dances.

Something for veterans on Veterans Day

Saturday is Veterans Day. All military veterans and active-duty military personnel — and the people in their vehicles — will be admitted free to Indiana state parks, reservoir properties, state forest recreation areas and off-road state rec areas on Saturday. Veterans and military personnel just have to tell the gate attendant at the property they visit that they are either a veteran or serving and on active duty.

Reach Carol Kugler at ckugler@heraldt.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Things to do in Bloomington, Indiana, this weekend