READERS’ ROCHESTER
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BEST BETS: July 9 to 15
Raggedy Ann to celebrate 95th birthday
Raggedy Ann turns 95 this year. The Strong National Museum of Play is celebrating the iconic mop top's birthday with an official Raggedy Ann birthday party on Friday and a chance to meet the famous doll or brother Raggedy Andy every day from Friday through Sept. 6. In addition, the museum invites you to share your memories of Raggedy Ann in a digital Raggedy Ann Scrapbook. Visitors to the museum Friday can sign an oversized birthday card, create candles for a gigantic pretend birthday cake and play birthday party games. Raggedy Ann will make a grand entrance at 2 p.m. Plus, listen to story readings and get autographs from descendents of the doll's creator, Johnny Gruelle. Visit museumofplay.org for details.
Corn Hill Arts Festival
The 2010 Corn Hill Arts Festival marks the 42nd anniversary for this celebrated arts festival in Rochester’s historic Corn Hill neighborhood. This year’s festival is Saturday and Sunday and features more than 400 artists, the Emerging Artists Expo, four stages of continuous live music, the Move It Movement Tour and the Labatt Blue Beer Garden. Consistently ranked as one of the top art shows in the United States, the show features activities for children, a wide variety of music and entertainment, local and national sponsors and more than 40 food vendors. Admission is free. Visit cornhillartsfestival.com.
On the big screen
"Despicable Me" is a 3-D animated film about a trio of orphan girls who cause the normally deplorable and evil Gru to rethink his plan to steal the moon. It features the voice talents of Steve Carell, Jason Segel and Russell Brand. Also opening Friday is "Predators," about a group of elite warriors who are hunted by members of a merciless alien race known as Predators. Adrien Brody and Topher Grace star. Find movie times.
Sports at the beach
The International Jet Sport Boating Association Pro Watercross tour brings top pros to battle it out this weekend on the rough waters of Lake Ontario. It's free to watch the competition from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Rochester's Durand Eastman Park. Bring a beach chair and a cooler and see top freestylers and racers. Visit uwpinc.com for all the details and video.Also this weekend is the Sports and Music Festival at Ontario Beach Park. The event includes the USA Wrestling Beach National Championships, World Team Trials and High School Beach Duals, the Corona Wide Open Beach Volleyball Tour, the newly added Northeastern Pickleball Tournament, NOVA Beach Kickball Tournament and Dodgeball. Think you've got what it takes? Call your friends to assemble a kickball or dodgeball team. For all the details, visit monroecountysports.org.
Celebration of dance at Naz
Top dancers will be participating in the Nazareth College Arts Center Dance Festival Saturday to July 17. They include Streb Extreme Action Company and Inlet Dance Theatre. Based in Cleveland, Inlet is a modern dance company that uses props and unique collaborations to explore social issues. The company opens the festival at 11 a.m. Saturday with a turn in ArtWalk, the annual street celebration on University Avenue in the Neighborhood of the Arts. The company performs at 8 p.m. the same day in Callahan Theater at the arts center. Rochester's own dance companies get the spotlight during "Dancing on the Grass," free outdoor shows at Nazareth from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday and Monday. For a full slate of events and tickets, visit go.naz.edu/dancefest.
Author to discuss downtown architecture
See downtown Rochester's years of sweeping change during a talk by local author Daniel Palmer on Friday. Palmer will present a slide show of images from his new book, "Rochester's Downtown Architecture: 1950-1975." His talk will be held at 7 p.m. in the community room at Barnes & Noble in Pittsford.
Chaka Khan at Jazz on the Pond
Chaka Khan will headline the fourth annual Jazz on the Pond Saturday. The event raises money for students of the Eastman School of Music jazz studies program. Along with the 10-time Grammy Award winner, trumpeter Rick Braun, known for smooth jazz, and Eastman students playing traditional jazz swing will perform. The event is an intimate affair held at a private residence. Visit jazzonthepond.org to make reservations.
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