Experience the Year of the Dog in Lowell
Immigrants, including many refugees, have long been part of the fabric of life in Lowell. Through the years waves of immigrants including Irish, Franco-Americans, Portuguese, Polish, Lithuanians, Greeks, Africans, and Cambodians have settled in our city. The result is a vibrant, rich community tapestry. This week many Khmer communities are getting ready to welcome the Year of the Dog, so here's a look at some of the ways local groups will be celebrating in Lowell and how you can participate in welcoming the lunar new year!
The Cambodian American Student Association at UMass Lowell is holding its biggest event of the year, its annual Khmer New Year celebration, on Saturday, April 14 from 6-10 pm. Scheduled entertainment includes performances from Rice Paddy Heroes, UMass Lowell ProtoHype, Mill Advised and music from DJ Skyhai. There will also be a number of traditional performances as well as delicious Cambodian food, so drop by for a fun night!
Lakana Lu Photography
On April 21st, the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell will host a Cambodian New Year Celebration at the Lowell Senior Center from 8:30 am to 11 am, followed by a parade from the center to Clemente Park at 803 Middlesex St.
The celebration will continue at Clemente Park on Saturday, April 21st, as the community welcomes in the Year of the Dog during the 7th Annual Lowell Khmer New Year Celebration from 12-5 pm. Cambodian New Year (or 'Choul Chnam Thmey'), marks the end of the harvesting season and is a special time when people celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year. This exciting event celebrates Lowell's Cambodian community with delicious ethnic food, colorful traditional outfits, live performances, and traditional folk dances.
Another way to experience Cambodian culture around Lowell is to visit Cambodia Town. Officially designated in 2010, Cambodia Town offers an authentic cultural experience to any tourist with its restaurants, jewelry stores, and markets.
Another culturally rich community is the Laotian community. Laotians will also celebrate the New Year this weekend with a parade event on Sunday, April 15 at the Watlao Mixayaram Temple of New England in South Lowell at 42 Bernier Street.
Visit our event calendar for all the latest happenings in Lowell!
Canalway Cultural District Renewal
Following the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s approval for the renewal of the Canalway Cultural District designation, the city’s district will expand to include the west side of Dutton Street along the Suffolk Canal and the Hamilton Canal District from Thorndike Street to Central Street along the Merrimack, Lower Pawtucket and Hamilton Canals. The district creates a framework to spotlight artists, performing and fine arts organizations, historic preservation groups, creative businesses and events and festivals that are part of the community.
Encompassing the heart of downtown Lowell and its canalway system, the district consists of preserved historical sites, cultural facilities, museums and galleries, performance venues, events and festivals that happen throughout the year. To facilitate moving through the district, way finder kiosks and brochures will be redesigned to include a map that highlights the district’s assets. The Cultural Affairs and Special Events office will also update the likelowell.com website with new district information.
District goals are to sustain and support existing artists, cultural institutions and ventures as well as encourage new cultural development, economic activity and new job creation. As a result of the restoration of most of Lowell’s historic mills and buildings, the district’s promotional success can lead to the redevelopment of remaining structures. Continued success can aid in strengthening the identity of the city and celebrating its history, diverse communities, arts and culture.
The canalway features 5.3 miles of functioning canals and were used to power the city’s mills during the Industrial Revolution. Today, the system creates electrical power as well as provides links for Lowell National Historic Park boat tours, showcases public art and can be used as a palette for special lighting of gatehouses and flowing waters. Along these canals, historic buildings and mills have been restored for commercial, residential, artistic and professional uses. Other businesses —coffee and pizza shops, restaurants, diners and retailers—are also located within the district.
The district includes the Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Lowell Memorial Auditorium, New England Quilt Museum, Whistler House Museum of Art, Brush Art Gallery and Studios, the Lowell National Historical Park and more. District events include open studios, gallery shows and festivals such as the Lowell Folk Festival, Summer Music Series, Kerouac Festival, Winterfest and many others. Upcoming events and festivals hosted in the district are sure to continue to celebrate the creative and historic aspects that make the city a diverse hub for arts and culture.
9 Reasons to visit Lowell this fall
The leaves are changing and the days are getting shorter. Fall is upon us and so are lots of great things to do in Lowell. Here are our 9 top picks why you should visit Lowell this seasons. There's A Lot To Like in the city!
1. City Of lights
Ring in the holidays in Lowell and join us for this year's City of Lights Parade and Holiday Celebration, Saturday, November 26, from 12 - 7PM. ! Take the afternoon to stroll the city streets and enjoy live performances, holiday shopping, photos with Santa, AND the crowd favorite, our Annual Hot Chocolate Competition! The daytime fun leads to the nighttime extravaganza -- The City of Lights Parade and City Hall Lighting -- which marks the City's official start to the holiday season!
2. Dine Out Lowell
There is no question that Lowell is the cultural hub of the Merrimack Valley. This Fall, Dine Out Lowell is your opportunity to experience Lowell's culinary culture. From November 26 to December 4, 2016 come and experience the vast variety of restaurants and menus. From casual to fine dining, there's something for everyone. Take advantage of "Happy Hour Parking" in the Joseph M. Downes Garage in the Canalway Cultural District.
3. Monster Bash & Halloween Stroll
Celebrate the Halloween season in Lowell at the Annual Monster Bash & Halloween Stroll, Saturday, October 29, from 12 - 3PM. Enjoy downtown trick-or-treating, costume contests, kids games, and get spooked at Monster Bash's all ages annual haunted house!
Image by Tory German
4. Mill No. 5
Mill No. 5 is the perfect destination for shopping and entertainment. You can find unique gifts and items in one of the 11 eclectic shops, or shop for locally and artisan food, cheese, wine and more. Different markets happen weekly, and between the café, lounge and movie theater there is always something going on. Mill No. 5 is located in Lowell's Hamilton Canal District, with conveniently located parking in the Edward J. Early Garage.
5. Western Avenue Studios - Open Studios
So much to see at First Saturday Open Studios at Western Avenue Studios! - Every month artists open their doors to the public from 12 - 5PM, so that you can come browse their latest works - you'll be amazed at what you find. Talk to artists about their work and what inspires them. It'll take you more than one visit to check out all the art you'll find at Western Avenue.
6. Take a walk along the Greenway
Reserve your spot for this popular Merrimack River Hike & Picnic, Saturday, November 19, from 9AM - 2pm. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy this fantastic 8 mile hike along the Merrimack River. More info >>>
7. Angkor Dance Troup Event
Angkor Dance Troupe is collaborating with Merrimack Repertory Theatre to produce an original piece first performed during a Cultural Exchange at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Cambodia called Pin Panhchapor (The Harp and Five Colors of Harmony). The production will take place November 18 and 19, 2016. Tickets are available here.
8. Fall Foliage in Lowell
Fall could easily be renamed to "Instagram Season" here in Lowell. Fall foliage is one of Lowell's many hidden secrets. Lowell's foliage season usually begins mid to late-September and extends into late October. The 'peak' foliage can be found at many different times and places as the season unfolds. The best places to experience fall foliage in Lowell include Lowell Heritage Sate Park, Dracut-Tyngsboro-Lowell State Forest, The Concord Greenway, Fort Hill Park, And the Canalway and Riverwalks. We suggest you book your stay at one of Lowell's Hotels and plan your trip early!
9. The Canalway Cultural District
The Canalway Cultural District is home to many of Lowell's top attractions. With more than a dozen public art installations, public parks, over 14 annual festivals and events, countless concerts along with performances that range from intimate gallery openings to mayor athletic events year-round. There's A Lot To Like for everyone. Did you know that the Canalway Cultural District offers a wide variety of dining options to satisfy your personal tastes and budget? The district is home to more than 40 restaurants and coffee shops in walking distance to many attractions. Enjoying a relaxing meal before a show or cap off the evening with cocktails and dessert add to a pleasurable experience in the Canalway Cultural District.
The Comeback of Public Art
Public art is making a comeback in Lowell, which is one of the creative hot spots in the state.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/29/2016
The Comeback of Public Art
Public art is making a comeback in Lowell, which is one of the creative hot spots in the state.
Lowell, MA, 9/29/2016 – The City of Lowell's Cultural Affairs and Special Events Office (CASE) is excited to announce three major projects that are enlivening the streetscape: a restored building-sized mural downtown, a major work of fabric art in a mill relic, and a kinetic steel sculpture where the Concord River and Pawtucket Canal meet.
After “Veils of Color for Lowell, the Venice of America”, an art installation by Lowell Artist Barbara Poole was installed along the Lower Pawtucket Canal in July of 2016, artist Michio Ihara and his team have begun restoration on his art piece: Pawtucket Prism, originally installed in the 1980’s. The Dutton Street Mural, a work of Lowell artist Leo Panas, one of the last of the murals honoring the immigrant heritage of Lowell workers, was revealed on its original location at 167 Dutton Street after a complete restoration.
Public Art is a big part of the Lowell landscape, and each of these installations included partnerships across various community organizations and the City of Lowell.
“Public art is much needed in the city,” says Andrew Jacobson, chairman of the Cultural Organization of Lowell. “It helps promote a city and allows it to become more vibrant and exciting. Barbara Poole's Veils of Color along the canal behind Lowell Community Health Center, is a perfect example.” "It's exciting to see the resurgence of public art activity in the city, especially the restoration of both the Irish-themed mural of the 1970s and ‘Pawtucket Prism’ by Michio Ihara from the mid-80s," said Paul Marion, president of the Lowell Heritage Partnership. "Barbara Poole's wonderful colored veils project at Appleton Mills shows us how we can see old places in a new way."
For more information on these installations and more public arts attractions in Lowell, please visit likelowell.com.
LikeLowell.com is the official webpage for the Office of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (CASE) at the City of Lowell, MA. We’re here to tell everyone that There’s A Lot To Like about Lowell.
Contact Information:
Office of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
50 Arcand Drive, Lowell, MA
+1-978-674-4260
LikeLowell.com
A very public comeback of public art
I admit it, Public Art has been something I kind of always took for granted. More or less it certainly existed everywhere I have lived before.
I admit it, public art has been something I kind of always took for granted. More or less it certainly existed everywhere I have lived before.
This really didn’t change a lot after moving to Lowell. I recall a conversation with a friend just a few month ago in which he shared his sheer fascination with the public art collections of Lowell. I felt I had no idea, yet it made me curious, and this conversation caused me to pay more attention to the city I love and call home and the art I [didn’t] see.
I remember taking my kids for a walk to the Concord River Greenway, having no idea that Lowell’s Riverfest Carp is “not” just one piece in a rich Lowell Public Art collection. Suddenly, every time I walked down Market Street I would see Homage to Women through a very different lens, and this once (by me) ignored piece of art did what public art has the power to do: it made me pause, wonder, celebrate, admire, appreciate, be inspired and remember.
There are certainly many people in Lowell who can tell and share more about public art than I would ever try to do. But what I have learned is that public art is important, creates experiences and contributes to everyone’s quality of life. We don’t have to be “into the arts” to appreciate the beauty of public art maybe, just maybe, public art has the power to introduce art to each of us through its different mediums and our individual perceptions.
The last few months have been a comeback of sorts for public art in Lowell. Explore Lowell like a local and find one (or all) of Lowell’s amazing public art pieces. Start here.
The Dutton Street Mural
This week I was able to attend the official reveal of the Dutton Street Mural which was originally created in the late 1970’s by Leo Panas. The Irish-Acre mural is most likely one of the last of its kind and was original designed as part of a larger project of murals in different locations celebrating the immigrant heritage of Lowell.
Veils of Color
Veils of Color for Lowell, the Venice of America by Barbara Poole is a public art installation inside the remaining walls of an old mill along the lower Pawtucket Canal. The installation pays tribute to the textile history of Lowell and in a visually stunning way honors Lowell’s former textile manufacturing industry.
Picture Credit Lowell Cultural Council
Pawtucket Prism
A very exciting comeback is the beginning with the restoration of the Pawtucket Prism. Artist Michio Ihara designed and built the Pawtucket Prism in 1987. After years of disrepair, Michio started restoration of this impressive twenty foot high sculpture that captures the essence of flowing water with sunlight and sound. Originally designed for water to flow through steel tubes moving 40 metal cubes, the redesigned installation will include 32 metal cubes.
Picture credit Michio Ihario
These new and old public art installations are yet another reason to explore Lowell like a local to see all the great things to do and find out what so many people already know: There's A Lot To like here in Lowell
Acknowledgements:
Other more recent public art installations and places include: Decatur Way, The Lowell Public Art Collection, Temporary Instalations included: #LightUpTheLocks, Downtown First Thursdays Light along canal, Human Powered Machines, and many others...