Grove Events
Mayor’s Vanguard Cabinet to Create a “Better Block” in the Grove this Saturday
Vacant buildings to be transformed during Tour de Grove
May 13, 2011
This weekend, vacant storefronts in the City’s Grove neighborhood will be full of possibility. Thanks to a partnership between the Mayor’s Vanguard Cabinet and the Grove CID, boarded-up buildings will be temporarily transformed to showcase their potential. The Building Better Blocks is an aspect of the Tour de Grove event, in which some of the fastest male and female cyclists in the United States will compete.
“The Grove is already a St. Louis success story,” said Mayor Slay. “This neighborhood, and particularly its Manchester stretch, has seen the influx of bars, restaurants, businesses, and residents – and yet, there are still opportunities for individuals and developers to get involved with the neighborhood’s revitalization. My Vanguard Cabinet and the Grove’s CID have some excellent ideas of how these buildings can be transformed – and they will temporarily showcase their ideas on the buildings’ facades.”
The Better Block project is a national initiative to transform urban eyesores to vibrant and stable storefronts. The goal is to demonstrate the possibilities for an area of boarded up buildings.
“Members of the Vanguard Cabinet, local artists, and volunteers have been creating marquees, awnings, and painted window displays for the project,” said Matt Green, a member of the Vanguard Cabinet. “This is a win-win for the neighborhood as well as the buildings’ owners. These buildings are located on a highly visible stretch of Manchester – and our hope is that developers and investors will notice the potential of these structures.”
Six buildings will be “beautified” during the Better Blocks project. Their exteriors will be transformed into such things as a movie theater, arcade, and bakery. This project will be displayed on Saturday, May 14 from 10am to 6:30pm on the 4200 block of Manchester in the City’s Grove neighborhood.
Thursday, May 12th – Saturday, May 14 (Scroll Down)
ARTCRANK St. Louis 2011
ARTCRANK™ + A Poster Party for Bike People from ARTCRANK™ on Vimeo.
ARTCRANK™ is a show of bicycle-inspired poster artwork that introduces people to talented local artists they’ve never heard of before and sends them home with affordable, original works of art. Every ARTCRANK show features posters created by local artists from the host city. Admission is always free, and posters are priced to let everybody take home at least one. Founded in Minneapolis in 2007, ARTCRANK now has shows in eight cities, including Denver, Portland, San Francisco and London.
UPDATE: We’re proud and thrilled to announce the artists for ARTCRANK St. Louis 2011. This year’s lineup is an amazing array of talent, and we can’t wait to see what they come up with.
ARTCRANK STL will be hosted by Atomic Cowboy as part of the second annual Tour de Grove. Our pals at Big Shark Bicycle Company and Brian Cummings Photography are helping us put together a three-day bike art party unlike anything the Gateway City has ever seen. Our charitable partner for ARTCRANK STL is St. Louis BicycleWORKS, a nonprofit organization that helps at-risk youth improve academic, vocational, and social skills through their Earn-A-Bike Program.
If you’re interested in participating in this year’s event as a sponsor or a volunteer, please send us an email.
Please check back for updates, and follow ARTCRANK on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.
Pedal with the Pros, Saturday Day May 14th
Join the Tour de Grove for a 20 mile ride with some of the best professional cyclists in the US and help us kick-off the 2011 edition of the Pedal the Cause charity ride benefiting the Siteman Cancer Center and St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
Meet and ride with two former United States Professional Champions, Brad Huff, of the Jelly Belly Professional Cycling team and Laura Van Gilder, of the MellowMushroom.com Professional Cycling Team. Joining Brad and Laura will be St. Louis’ own Carrie Cash, riding for Team Revolution/Pedal the Cause. Three of the fastest athletes in the peleton are great ambassadors for cycling, and they want to show their support for St. Louis fastest growing charity ride.
The route will feature sections of the 2011 Pedal the Cause route. Join us for a memorable ride and learn about Pedal the Cause; the cycling fundraising challenge in which all donations raised will stay in St. Louis to provide direct funding for cancer research, cancer discovery grants and clinical translational care not currently eligible for federal funds.
When: Saturday morning, May 14th.
Where: The Grove
Cost: Free
Registration: 8:30am until 9:15am
Ride Start: 9:30am
Ride End: 11:30am. After the ride please hang out, tail gate and watch the races. We will have valet bicycle parking at the Handlebar at 4127 Manchester Ave.
Distance: 20 miles or 10 miles. One rest stop at the turn around @ the Mary Institute Country Day School. Carrie Cash and Laura will be racing in the early afternoon and will lead the 10 mile route.
Location: Ride sign up and depart from the Commerce Bank parking lot at Manchester and Sarah.
Contact: Carrie Benson, carrie@pedalthecause.org
Tour de Grove Pub Crawl, Saturday Night May 14th
What: First ever comprehensive Grove pub crawl. Powered by bicycle, thanks to 3Wheel Taxi. (And you don’t even have to pedal!)
Why: So, you’ve watched the races. Now, grab a drink…or four! Be adventurous: check out all the bars you haven’t tried before.
How: Tickets can be purchased in advance at Randy’s Recycled Cycles or Handelbar or day of the Tour de Grove at the Grove CID booth (Manchester Ave and Talmage).
Who: Rehab, Just John’s, Attitudes, Novaks, Atomic Cowboy, Handelbar, Sanctuaria, Erneys 32 Degrees, Premium Lounge, Gramophone, Big Moe’s, Flavors BBQ
Randy’s Recycled Cycles Raffle and Musical Pig Roast- Saturday May 14th
All day Saturday hang at Randy’s and enjoy music, a pig roast and…participate in a Raffle for one of Randy’s Recycled Cycles Restored Rides.
Randy and Rich have created a very sweet ride to raffle off in support of Tour de Grove Professional Cycling Race May 14th. This RRC Custom Trek Road Bike is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece of design and style, and it could be yours with a little luck and the purchase of a raffle ticket.
The details: Shimano Ultegra; STI shifters; FSA carbon cranks 53/39 front, 13/26 rear cog; Mavic Helium wheelset; FSA seat post; Selle Italia seat; 24″ frame.
Step up, try your luck, and support a great event! Raffle tickets are available as of today at the shop. $1 each or 6 for $5. What a deal!
Tour de Grove After Party
Where: Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester Avenue
When: After the Street Sprints and Dash du Chocolate. Saturday Night May 14th, 9:00pm-12:00am.
What: Enjoy libations and the incredible music of Phil Stendek. Phil is a force of nature. He will make you wish you were him. Just for a moment.
