The Museum of Art & History at the McPherson Center

3rd Friday April: Love Fest

Love Songs by The Rasinettes

All you need is LOVE FEST— the Museum of Art and History’s enchanting 3^rd Friday evening of poetry, dance, theater, music, art, and love games.

In sync with MAH’s current exhibition “All You Need is Love,” Love Fest will offer romantic adventures for all ages:

Twist with visitors in our stage-sized twister game, meet friends and soul mates in daring dating games, dance to local live music by Leah Ray Mendez and  The Rasinettes, jump into pictures frames to create your own family or love portraits, learn the art of  tango dancing and cozy up in our photo love booth.

And if you’ve ever had your heart bruised or broken, now is your time to fight back with our love revenge room, where you will find a piñata to whack, bundles of balloons to pop, and swells of sugary sweet valentines for you to cut up, rip, or just punch.

Santa Cruz Writes Love Letters Project

For those still feeling feisty, Shakespeare Santa Cruz will turn Abbot square into a theatrical playground where they will teach visitors how to fight for their hearts with medieval skills and weaponry, while also presenting the wit of Shakespearean love-battle skits.

But it’s not all breaks and aches— The Pajaro Valley Quilting Association will reinvent card making by sewing postcards out of fabric and the invincible Santa Cruz Derby Girls will tie the knot in a strong and probing marriage.  Visitors are invited to turn love to craft with creative ways to say “I love you” through hands on art projects, making seed love bombs or recording audio love notes emailed directly to your loved ones by Drew Waters and Stephen Walker.   Santa Cruz Writes will type you a love letter to add to our community’s Love Letters Love Map in the history gallery. Test your local history knowledge in our Santa Cruz love couples game or make your own history with your message in a bottle. Nothing says love like flowers do, arrange your own bouquet with Blue Heron Farms.

Seven years ago, Good Times Editor and GTv Host, Greg Archer, set out on the mother of all experiments: Would it would feel to date himself? It went so well—all those love notes helped!— that six weeks later, he asked himself another question: What would if feel like to get married—to himself? Now, after all the ups, downs, and mood swings in between, Mr. Archer is renewing his wedding vows. Watch the performance art event of the season as Greg and Greg recommit to love, honor and respect each other—till death do they part. Greg will be conducting self marriage ceremonies with marriage certificates for any self-loving visitors willing to commit.

So follow your heart to the museum and explore the museum in your heart—xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooooooooooooooooo

Thank you to the following collaborating artists and organizations:  Abra Allen, Anna Christie, Blue Heron Farms,  Bookshop Santa Cruz, Carol Colin, Cedar Kirwin, Cristal Alvarado,  Dominique del Cruz,  Dmitri Zurita, Drew Waters, Emilee Graverson, Franklin Harris, George Psarras, Graciela Solis, Happy Herb Shop, Haley Fricke, Heidi Crammer, John and Nancy Lingemann,  Julia Chiapella, Kathryn Moyer,  Kit Wilder, Kyle Clausen, Lauren Crux,  Lauren Shapiro, Leah Ray Mendez, Lex, Mary Fran Archer, Melanie Centeno, Misha, Miranda Emanuel, Motion Pacific, Nicole Selinger, Nora Grant, Pajaro Valley Quilting Association, Kim Barret, Phren-Z Literary Magazine, Rosey Lakos, Santa Cruz Derby Girls, Santa Cruz Tango, Santa Cruz Writes, Sari Fox, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Stephen Walker, Taylor Stevens, The Rasinettes, The Reticulum and UCSC Public Art Students

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