A Rising Tide brings live performances to Indy’s White River
Indy Convergence’s A Rising Tide festival invites Indianapolis to the White River by highlighting our city’s talented creatives in one of our most beautiful, but underused destinations. Over two weekends, Indy Convergence will host nine events ranging from a dance performance with Kenyetta Dance Company to short plays from Fonseca Theatre, A DJ appreciation night from Haughville’s Tedd Hardy and guided nature hikes along the community-created Haughville Nature Trail.
Caitlin Negron, executive director of Indy Convergence and Eric Salazar from Forward Motion, joined us to share more about the festival and to give us a sample of the type of performances we can see at their events.
The A Rising Tide series kicks off Thursday, September 9 at 7:30pm with rock-soul band The Palace and a night of s’mores, cocktails, river views, and great music!
Other events include:
- Friday 9/10 @ 7:30 Salute to the DJs
- Saturday 9/11 @ 2pm Guided Nature Hike & 7:30 Fonseca Theatre Company
- Thursday 9/16 @ 7:30 Gritty N’ Craft Show
- Friday 9/17 @ 7:30 Son de Esquina;
- Saturday 9/18 @ 7:30 Mike Treez/Forward Motion
- Sunday 9/19 @ 10am Nature Hike, guided hike and 2:30 Kenyetta Dance
Ticket for the shows are $15 (nature hikes are free) and all events will be held at 2020 N White River Parkway W, Indianapolis, 46202.
Each performance will take place beside the White River near historic Belmont Beach. This year’s festival is supported by the 16 Tech Community Investment Fund and the local stage crew is supported by Lilly Endowment.
All events are BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair). This season is dedicated to the memory of our late board member and devoted arts advocate, Jill Ditmire. Artists will perform in areas along the river banks cleared of invasive plant species by Near West volunteer groups and neighborhood stakeholders including the Reconnecting to Our Waterways White River Committee.
Once cleared these spaces create beautiful, intimate event venues, and leave behind areas that are utilized for fishing, picnicking, and community gatherings. Eric Salazar of Forward Motion will perform this year with his group Forward Motion and says, “Our favorite part about performing in the Near West is how audiences are totally up for adventurous experimentation.
It’s not every show that you get an audience who is willing to let you try things that have never been done before -like a theater, music, and dance interdisciplinary show in the middle of the woods next to the White River.”
A Rising Tide debuted in 2019 with five performances in five different locations along the White River. The initial series was supported by Reconnecting to Our Waterways and the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Foundation White River Fund.
The debut season included performances and partnerships with the Eiteljorg Museum, The White River Alliance, bands Bigfoot Yancey, The Palace, and Sweet Poison Victim and more. Challenges from Covid-19 prevented a full 2020 season, but Indy Convergence and the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation were able to partner with WFYI to film an educational program near the Emrichsville Dam in early fall 2020.
The White River is our city’s most valuable natural resource and provides nearly 60% of the drinking water for Indianapolis. The city historically used the river as a place to dump everything from livestock carcasses to sewage.
Initiatives like A Rising Tide and the momentum of the White River Vision Plan are transforming the river’s image and restoring its natural ecology.
Today you can see beavers, clams, bald eagles, great blue heron, native wildflowers and grasses, butterflies, and now artists along the river banks. Welcome back to your river.
For more information visit, IndyConvergence.org. Tickets are available now at ARisingTide2021.splashthat.com.