Homegrown is more than music Poetry, kids’ events among other offerings

By Melinda Lavine mlavine@duluthnews.com

Homegrown is about more than music.

There’s poetry, fire spinning, a monkey man — and Day One of the eight-day festival kicks off with a kiddo-friendly agenda.

The Children’s Music

Showcase is at noon April 29 at the Duluth Children’s Museum. Expect puppets, hula-hooping, face-painting, a maypole and super stretch yoga, “so kids can work their wiggle out,” said coordinator Jesse Dykhuis.

And the children’s showcase is for grown-ups, too.

Along with the World Beat Drummers and Dan the Monkey Man, Teague Alexy and Erik Berry, Sonja Bjordahl and Lee Martin, Zeb or Zeke and the Run Away Screamings will play, with the last performance, by The Farsights, starting at 3:15 p.m.

“That helps it to be a draw for the parents and adults,” Dykhuis said.

During its first year, the showcase was at the Red Herring, where more people showed up than they expected, she said. This is year three for the showcase, which spiked in attendance to 1,100 last year. And they try to make every nook and cranny of their venue accessible and attractive to kids, she added.

The showcase is a great way for families to continue to connect with the festival. “A lot of the parents of young kids, their relationship to Homegrown has had to change because they have little people at home.

“I like that it gives young families a way to to be in Homegrown,” Dykhuis said.

And: “It’s fun to inject kids with the love of live music.”

The Children’s Music Showcase starts at noon April 29 at the Duluth Children’s Museum. Cost: Free. Poetry showcase

Homegrown also offers something for the spokenword inclined. The Homegrown Poetry Showcase is slated for 7:30 p.m. April 30 at the NorShor Theatre.

It’s 30 poets reading for two to three minutes with a host and musical accompaniment. The poetry showcase was added as an extension for the appreciation of the arts, said festival director Melissa LaTour.

In the years it’s been a part of Homegrown, the poetry portion has changed locations from Teatro

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Zuccone to The Underground to Sacred Heart Music Center. It’s good to have the poetry showcase back at its founding venue, said LaTour by email. “Bigger crowds = bigger venue for poetry.”

A large turnout was Tina Higgins Wussow’s first impression of the poetry programming. “It was packed … I couldn’t really see or hear anything.”

Now the showcase coordinator, Wussow said the need for a bigger event venue is exciting because poetry doesn’t always have that kind of draw. “For Homegrown, it’s this magical thing,” she said.

Wussow didn’t start reading her poems at the showcase right away. It took a couple of years to build the courage and get over stage fright, she said.

She hosts the spoken word open mic nights at Beaner’s Central, and she was invited to take over the Homegrown Poetry Showcase three years ago. “It’s a great honor,” she said.

Her first impressions of Homegrown: “There’s this giant family of people who celebrate this thing together.”

Of her own work, she said she’s known for her humor. “I certainly have a lot more serious poems about relationships and family, but I don’t usually bring them to Homegrown.

“Homegrown’s the night you want to wow the crowd and get their attention, and humor usually makes that happen.”

The event vibe is just a big party of writers, she said.

Expect work by Duluth Poet Laureate Ellie Schoenfeld, Julie Gard, Wussow herself and many other area writers. Gaelynn Lea will accompany on the violin.

The Homegrown Poetry Showcase is at 7:30 p.m. April 30 at NorShor Theatre. Wristband required. Other events

Also on the HG agenda: a photo show, a run, a kickball classic and a music video fest (with two encores).

The photo show evolves every year with contributions from veteran and new shutterbugs, said LaTour. The rock ’n’ run is a healthy way to start

Saturday with fresh air and sweat.

Fans and filmmakers get the chance to show off their creativity with the music video fest.

“The participation grows with each year, so we continue to work with the ancillary programming,” she said.

• Music Video Showcase: 6 p.m. April 30 at Zinema 2; 6 p.m. May 1 at Zinema 2; 2 p.m. May 6 at Red Herring Lounge.

• Photo show: opening reception 5 p.m. April 30 at Blacklist Artisan Ales.

• Rock ’n’ run: 10:30 a.m. May 5, Chester Bowl

• Homegrown Kickball Classic: Noon May 5, Chester Bowl. u