The line-up from the 2014 HNAF.

Saturday, October 11th was a peerlessly beautiful day for the Fourth Annual Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival, with more events and open studios than ever before. The day was punctuated by a wide variety of activities beyond the massive scope of open artist studios, including a ghost-DJ and art dance floor at Kinehaus, a concert featuring Spaceband at Klinger Street Studios, and an art auction for the innumerable variations on the originals for a series of HNAF promotional posters, made by numerous local artists.

The dance floor at Kinehaus. Photo courtesy of HNAF

Spaceband at Klinger Street Studios. Photo courtesy of HNAF

Over in the Power House district, Play House hosted an afternoon of Bangladeshi music performances. Performers of all ages played crowd favorites to a packed house reflecting the demographic of the neighborhood.

The concert at Play House (a Knight Arts grantee).

Just down the street at the Quiet House, I had a chance to converse with the current artist-in-residence, W.C. Bevan, on loan from Brooklyn, NY and installed at the Quiet House for the last four months.

W.C. Bevan fills Quiet House with loud graphics.

These are just a fraction of the encounters and events facilitated by this great event, spearheaded in part by Steve Panton of 9338 Campau, which has been hosting its inaugural resident artist, Orr Menirom over the last week. Menirom has been curating video screenings the last two subsequent Saturdays, and on Sunday, October 12th, participated in an artist’s talk and discussion to conclude the residency.

The scene on the street in the Power House district.

Another key gallery supporting the HNAF is Public Pool, which held a Good Tyme Writers’ Buffet to honor the occasion. The GTWB has been the recipient of a Knight Arts grant, and is one of the contestants at the upcoming H(amtramck) SOUP on Sunday, October 19th, to help raise matching fund for the grant. Turn up in numbers to support ye local writers!

From the HNAF Good Tyme Writers’ Buffet. Photo courtesy of HNAF

Viva la Hamtramck!

Look for Public Pool at H SOUP: Eight & Sand, 3901 Christopher Street, Hamtramck; 313-444-2871; facebook.com/events/703893366360778.

And check out the upcoming at 9338 Campau: 9338 Jos Campau, Hamtramck; 9338campau.com.