Morning Edition; Third Thursday

It's morning edition on KRPS, I'm Fred Fletcher Fierro. It's spring 2021 as a ride, which means the re-emergence of in-person events with the pandemic for now peaking over our shoulder. When you're a go, most of us were spending more time in home and glued to the news, schools in the area had gone to virtual learning, and people who could work from home did. A vaccine much less two or three seemed like a distant future. Tonight, another page of the Southwest Missouri story of the coronavirus pandemic will be turned when third Thursday returns to downtown Joplin. Laurie Hahn of the Joplin Downtown Alliance says reorganizing the event has been demanding. Well, it's been a little challenging, you know, you kind of forget things if you go too far in between. So, kind of trying to figure things out again and make sure we've got the right pieces in place. Tonight, the length of the event will be extended to encourage social distancing. Food trucks, the most popular destination will be spread out in extra block this year. Laurie says that some of the newest features at Third Thursday are businesses that have

opened in downtown Joplin during the pandemic. I mean, the biggest things we have new is just kind of what some of our businesses are featuring. We do have a brewery downtown now, so that's exciting. They're on 100 block. We have a couple of new restaurants. The board room is on the 100 block, and then the umbrella is on the 500 block. So those are exciting. They'll have to not door dining and things like that. There are about 65 vendors this year, and as of right now, there will be no music performers due to the pandemic. Public health is a priority for Laurie in planning this event. We're not doing a lot of live performances right now, either just because that'll kind of try to limit places that would have large crowds, because I feel like, you know, as long as everybody's kind of out, moving around and able to keep their distance and stuff, I think it'll be, it'll be a nice day for them. Third Thursday isn't the only thing happening in downtown Joplin tonight. If you're on Main Street and third, walk one and a half blocks over to the Spivas Center for the Arts, the nonprofit is hosting their Spivas in Bloom reception, starting at 530. Susan Adams of the Spivas says to stop on by, you'll likely be surprised.

For Spivas in Bloom, area floral designers come, and they reinterpret the photographs in flowers, and it's so much fun, and I have to admit, I never thought of floral design that it could be so creative. The reception is the first of three days of artistry focusing on floral design. It also includes two already sold out in-person workshops. After the layoff, Susan says the Spivas staff is looking forward to having more events and guests in person. This really does begin to kick off Spivas starting to host events, although we did have an opening for Photo Spivas, we kept it specifically small. Masks are still required when you visit the Spivas Center, and the staff will continue to stress social distancing. Also four memorable days starting May 20th, the Spivas Center will feature Joe Rolde from Joplin with love, commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the storm.

We're going to have our remembrance for the 10-year anniversary of the storm in Joplin. It's hard for me to even say the T-word. It's given me goosebumps right now to talk about it, but we are going to re-hang a wonderful exhibit that we have, which was called Dear World from Joplin with love. Now if you're in the mood for live outdoor music, Pittsburgh State Professor of Orchestra and Dr. Al Mangia is your man. He says streaming performances are great, no, but... You know, music happens in the Spivas Echo. I mean, there's something that is the beauty of it, and that's why live performances are so valuable because art is being made right in front of your eyes. And years in the case of the Southeast Kansas Symphony Orchestra, that will be performing this Sunday at 5 PM at Pittsburgh State, Rolde says to bring you launch air and be prepared to have a great time, and that the pandemic has proven that streaming and live performances will continue side by side into the future.

Yes, we practice, we rehearse, and you know, we prepare for that. But for the audience, you don't go to a museum and watch a painting being painted. You go on the spot, but it's already done. So the artist can come back and fix it as many times as they need. Music doesn't happen that way. The Sunday in the park concert will feature the sound of music, The King and I, Phantom of the Opera, and Moodlon Rouge, a lighter array of selections than Royal Woolwood normally program for the SEK Symphony. I have Mr. Keely playing one of the most beautiful songs ever written. You are always on my mind, you know, but I want people just to have fun, you know, come, sit down, have fun, go home with, you know, one of those songs in your head and whistling with while you're driving back home. To learn more about Third Thursday, more events at the 5th Center for the Arts in Joplin or the Sunday in the park concert at Pittsburgh State, visit krpsnews.com.