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Arts & Entertainment

Makin' It Happen in the West Village

The newly branded local business community, the Evanston West Village Business Association, will host, in partnership with the City of Evanston, “Makin’ It Happen in the West Village” on Friday, May 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will highlight the unique businesses, artists and craftspeople in West Evanston; spotlight the strong residential community there; and welcome people who may not be familiar with all that this city’s newest destination location has to offer.

Set in Evanston Plaza at the southwest corner of Dempster Street and Dodge Avenue, the Makin’ It Happen in the West Village festival will have a block party feel and take place both inside available retail spaces and outside in the parking lot facing Dodge Ave. A celebration of dancing, music, art and more, the event will give people the chance to meet and greet merchants and neighbors in this vibrant community.

The family friendly celebration will feature live music, performances and interactive sessions including:
• Dance Center Evanston featuring hip hop, tap, modern, jazz and ballet selections
• Evanston Dance Ensemble presents an excerpt from their most recent production, Body of Work
• Zumba Dance lessons, the fun and effective workout to Latin and International music
• Pop-up art gallery and sale
• Fire performers
• Face painting
• Chair massages
• Storytelling for kids
• Bike safety lessons and bike registration by the Evanston Police Department
• African drumming and dancing
• Jazz ensemble

Cindy Jevon, whose gallery PerficalSense Studio is based in the West Village artists’ enclave at Florence and Crain, saw an opportunity to bring neighbors and businesses together to celebrate the synergy that happens in the area every day. Joined by Evanston Print and Paper Shop and with assistance the City of Evanston, Makin' It Happen began to happen. Foresite Realty Partners, LLC, generously supported the effort with use of their Evanston Plaza property. Members of the Evanston West Village business group enthusiastically joined in as they learned about the exciting new event.

While the area’s neighborhood groups have been active for many years (including Dewy-Dodge Neighbors, Florence-Crain Neighbors, Greenwood-Darrow Neighbors and others) the introduction of the Evanston West Village Business Association represents the first time area merchants have come together formally. Dickelle Fonda of the Dewey-Darrow Neighbors expresses delight in the direction this new venture is taking the district.

“This area is eclectic, progressive and very engaged. It’s exactly what Evanston is always touted to be: a diverse mix of people of many ethnicities and backgrounds living and working together to create a thriving community,” explained Fonda. “But we haven’t had an organized business group until now. The evolution of this business association knits together groups who have been collaborating in other ways for some time. It’s an exciting and hopeful development.” Ms. Fonda also has a private practice in psychotherapy with an office in this community.

“I’m definitely excited about the event and I feel that the positive presence that the festival and the West Village Business Association is creating is exactly what we need to help change the perception of the mall. And I’m excited about what it is going to do for the entire Evanston community on this side of town," said Second Ward Alderman Peter Braithwaite.

“We are thrilled to join this diverse, hip, flourishing neighborhood and we will be at the festival offering chair massages and other demonstrations of our healing work," added Nancy Floy, President of Heartwood Center. "Heartwood Center is proud to join the Evanston West Village community in our newly renovated building at 1818 Dempster Street. Our holistic healthcare practitioners and teachers (more than 40 individual business owners themselves) see more than 500 people each week at our center.”
Participants

Many other businesses and not-for-profit organizations of the rejuvenated Dempster-Dodge corridor are involved in the Makin’ It Happen weekend, including:
• Artist Seeds - studio workshop
• Bucephalus Bikes - bicycle repair shop
• Chiro One Wellness Center - chiropractic doctors
• City of Evanston
• Dance Center Evanston and Evanston Dance Ensemble
• Evanston 150 - community-wide planning initiative
• Evanston Community Media Corp.
• Evanston Print and Paper Shop - custom letterpress print shop
• Evanston Public Library Friends
• Grandmother Park Initiative - tot lot playground committee
• Heartwood Center for Body, Mind, Spirit - holistic healthcare
• H&H Chicago Printing/Marketing/Creative Services (formerly Sir Speedy)
• Just Builders, Inc. - general contractors
• North Shore Coalition for Peace, Justice and Environment
• Panino's - restaurant
• PerficalSense Studio - gallery offering a variety of arts workshops
• Perla Café - coffee and confections
• Rockwell Associates Architects
• Jevoid Simmons, Sugarcreek Folk Art
• Unleashed in Evanston - dog daycare and training center
• Zigmil Inc. - construction
ABOUT EVANSTON WEST VILLAGE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Evanston West Village Business Association is a nonprofit entity created to support and promote the community and improve local commerce. Officially founded in 2010, the group works to create and promote the West side of Evanston as a vibrant destination filled with a thriving arts enclave, health and wellness centers, shops, restaurants and services for home and business owners. The area served falls between Wesley Avenue (east) to Hartrey Avenue (west) and Greenwood Street (north) to Lee Street (south). Find us on Facebook as “Evanston West Village Business Association”.

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