Back in 1994, Lotus Fest had its first event in downtown Bloomington. Around 900 people came to see the inaugural event that consisted of one night of world folk music. These days the festival draws closer to 10,000 people with a total of four days and nights of music, workshops and Lotus in the Park. Tyler James Perry

Besides the “bigger and better” factor concerning celebrity guests and even more films from abroad, the 2008 Dark Carnival Film Festival differs greatly from last year in that it is being held during the school year, meaning the niche market of 18 to 25 year olds will be coming in droves. Alex DiBlasi

In a matter of weeks, the most delicious nook of the street, overwrought with weedy Tree-of-Heaven saplings and cars parked on both sides of its narrow street-flanks for the sparse, tootling traffic-will yield to the annual transformation, the tradition over three decades in the making, of Fourth Street Festival. Dawn K. Shanks

A town like Bloomington being home to a painting dog is not quite an eyebrow-raiser. With programs like Drool in the Pool, the Read to Dogs program at the library and adoptable dogs patrolling the Farmers’ Market entrances each Saturday, the town touts an outlook of utter infatuation with Fido. Tyler James Perry

We decided to give readers a glimpse of the diversity in the upcoming performances by highlighting some of each style, from classical to jazz, and each type, from large ensemble to chamber music to solo recital. Sarah Kaiser

There was a certain solemnity in the air as I hiked after hours hunting for life. I felt almost euphoric as I walked the tightrope of the center line of empty streets, the traffic lights flashing red and yellow above me. Heather Dent

The plaza would be filled with people wearing their Saturday best: jeans, sandals and tee shirts. There would inadvertently be a dog with a bandana good-naturedly running around leash-less as shoppers gave him absent-minded pats. Somewhere in the background there would be a barefoot college student playing guitar. What I discovered at the Farmers’ Market that day was far from fantasy, but far from disappointment, too. Dawn K. Shanks

As we in Indiana know, spring is an excellent compromise between all the seasons: intense sun, freezing rain and cool evenings. I associate spring with riding my bike, and I recently visited the Bloomington Community Bicycle Project. Devin Blankenship

Taking flying leaps from great heights is inherently dangerous. Don’t read this and then do something stupid. Please.

A second Christmas for event hoppers, ArtsWeek 2008 dates are February 20 – March 1.
To some, the idea that Bloomington has one week each year devoted explicitly to Arts is somewhat ridiculous and bordering on unnecessary. What are the other 52 weeks in a Bloomington year, all teeming with live music, lectures, gallery openings and [...]