Claremont Insider: Big George Unveiling Kicks Off Downtown Weekend Festivities

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Big George Unveiling Kicks Off Downtown Weekend Festivities

That anatomically correct mystery bronze by Claremont sculptor Barbara Beretich (right - the horse, not Beretich) has a name, as turns out. The horse, which has been stalking one of our readers, is known as Big George.

Big George's formal unveiling, according to yesterday's Claremont Courier, will be this Friday, August 1st, at 4pm in the little porkchop park at the southeast corner of Indian Hill Blvd. and Harrison Ave., across from Mallows Park.

In the same Courier, Tony Krickl reports that there's a whole menu of events scheduled for this coming Friday and Saturday, all part of the Claremont Village Expansion (née Village West) ribbon cutting ceremony:

The event kicks off on Friday, August 1 at 5:00 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Chamber of Commerce to be attended by city officials and project developers from the Tolkin Group.

“It’s just going to be a lot of fun and entertainment for all ages,” said Jonathon Tolkin, developer of the project. “I think we found a great mix of businesses to make the Claremont Village a really appealing place to be.”

Locals gather near the Laemmle Theater marquee on Indian Hill Boulevard. The official grand opening celebration for the Village Expansion project kicks off this Friday at 5:00 p.m., and runs through Saturday night.

The celebration will coincide with several other weekend activities taking place in the Village, including the Friday evening Art Walk, which includes free admission to the Museum of Art, and Friday Night Live, featuring live bands performing throughout the Village.

On Saturday, the Laemmle Theater will run a free showing of The Princess Bride at 10 a.m., followed by games, prizes, street performers, music and activities in the Village throughout the day and evening.

Many of the new businesses will also take part in the event. Wine Styles will host a “Wine Tasting Extravaganza” with over 25 wines to sample. Le Pain Quotidien will hold a drawing for a gift basket that includes a host of its gourmet foods. Many of the businesses will also offer discounts up to 15 percent.

Okay, so some of the businesses have been open a year or more already. Better late than never. There's a new website devoted to the Village Square, that area that includes the Hotel Casa 425, the Laemmle Theatre, Le Pain Quotidien, and the surrounding shops west of Indian Hill Blvd. and excluding the Claremont Packing House.

Here's a list of this weekend's events:

Ribbon Cutting, Dedication & Grand Opening Festivities
Friday, August 1st, 2008

5:20pm
- Claremont High School Theater Group Performing songs from their summer musical The Wizard of Oz
5:30pm - Ribbon Cutting and Dedication - Claremont City Council /Chamber of Commerce/Tolkin Group
5-7pm - Stilt Walker
6-8pm - Face Painter, Magician and Clown (Balloon Twister)
6-9 pm - Joel Ceballos Band, On Square (3 piece singer song writer)
- Project Open House, Promotions and Samplings
- Art Walk and Sidewalk Sale throughout Village

Saturday, August 2nd, 2008

10am - Free Children's Movie - The Princess Bride - at Laemmle Theatres
11am-9pm - Project Open House, Promotions and Samplings
- Sidewalk Sale throughout Village Square
2-5pm - Live Music - DAVID CHAPMAN
6-8pm - Face Painter, Magician and Clown (Balloon Twister)
6-6:45pm - Troupe Melange - Tribal Belly Dancing
7-8pm - The Moultrie Academy - Song and Dance Performance
8-9pm - Folklorico Dance Performance