Designers will be showcased with a “Valleylicious Style Show” beginning at 7 p.m. on October 12 at the Grand Hotel Ballroom; a poetry “SlammaJamma” is set for 8 p.m. both nights at the Coffee House Café; a “Visual Art Mixer” from local artists will be on display both days at Cascade Baking, Coffee House Café and Venti’s Café, with artist’s receptions on October 13; and more than 50 bands will deliver music from folk, rock, country, experimental and other genres at 12 venues during the two-day “Cherry City Music Festival.”
Mix ‘N Mash sprang from Swartzendruber’s fertile mind as a special project of the Mid-Valley Video Festival — held in late February since 2003 — for which he has served as programming director for the last two years.
“It was organized to promote and network with area filmmakers, and the Mix ‘N Mash event actually kicks off the call for entries for next year’s festival from February 22 to 24. So we have a music video category for the October event with which we are trying to generate more interest in filmmaking.”
And “hook up local bands around town with local filmmakers” for the Mix ‘N Mash’s Music Video Mash filmmaking category, he added. One of the judges tentatively is Will Vinton, clay animator extraordinaire, who judged last year’s WVVF event.
Schwartzendruber said 12 filmmakers are on board now with completed music videos, with several more expressing interest in the concept of pairing with local musicians for music videos of their own.
“I challenge people in this town to come out into the streets at some time during those two days and tell me this is a boring place to be,” he said.
