Creative affair: Fallout Art, Music Festival this weekend
BY Jeff Bahr, jbahr@aberdeennews.com
Published on Wednesday, September 08, 2010 in the Aberdeen American News
All of us have limitations, says Dan Cleberg, director of the nonprofit organization. Those limitations may be related to age or finances. Another may be loneliness. Some of the early members of the community may have been described as at-risk youth. So while some Fallout members have physical disabilities, the group is open to everyone, says Cleberg, one of the owners of the Red Rooster Coffee House.
On Friday and Saturday, the community will present its biggest event ever. The Fallout Art and Music Festival will take place inside the Red Rooster and on Second Avenue South.
Cleberg points out that not only is admission free, but free food will also be provided.
“There should be nothing to keep you away from this thing,” he said.
Two or three times a year, the group has had Fallout Art and Music Parties. But “at some point you cross the line and it's no longer a party,” he said. It's a festival.
More than 25 musical acts will perform. Two are from Minneapolis, one from Chicago, one from Seattle and one from Austin, Texas. One of the Minneapolis groups, Pegtop, was the first band to play at the Red Rooster 14 years ago.
One thing that helped make the festival possible this year is a grant the community received in October from the South Dakota Council on Developmental Disabilities. That grant helped provide the spark for the festival, Cleberg said.
Regular Fallout events take place at the Red Rooster. Every Thursday is Fallout Art and Music Night. Fallout Open Mic Night is held the second and fourth Wednesday of each month.
Rob Wedemann, a co-host of Art and Music Night, said he enjoys participating. He likes “helping my friends and making new friends,” he said.
In May, the Fallout Art and Bicycle Spectacle was held. That event was a dry run for the Art and Music Festival. Eighty volunteers helped put on that event. That number will be doubled this weekend. The volunteers include students from Northern State University and Presentation College.
About 300 people attended the Art and Bicycle Spectacle. This weekend, Cleberg is hoping for 800 to 1,000 attendees.
It's nothing new for Cleberg to introduce creativity to a social gathering. During summers when he was in high school, he would bring out art supplies when his friends got together. Those gatherings also featured music.
The festival begins with opening ceremonies from 6 to 6:30 p.m. Friday. At the Red Rooster, activities will conclude at 12:30 a.m. Meanwhile, the music continues until 3 a.m. across the street at the former Boston Fern and Tony's Gym. For the purposes of this weekend, that building will be called Subconscious Dance Club.
Saturday's schedule runs from 3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
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