Do you find yourself asking, “I wonder what’s happening underneath the Strawberry Mansion Bridge this weekend?” Well this weekend the answer to that question is: dancing!
Invisible River is happening this Saturday and Sunday on the banks of the Schuylkill River at the Strawberry Mansion Bridge. Dancers will be performing along 2.5 miles of the water’s edge and suspended from the bridge itself. Enjoying the dance, music, and sculpture from the banks of the river is free, or you can buy a ticket in advance for a spot in the flotilla of boats.[1. In the history of flotillas, this one will be far less treacherous. For other flotillas, see: Spanish; Stannis.]
From the website’s description of the boat option:
Reconnect to nature and inspire your imagination as you celebrate the wonder and beauty of the Schuylkill River, one of Philadelphia’s most prized natural resources at INVISIBLE RIVER 2014. Join us as we paddle along [sic] river to witness breathtaking dance along the shores, enlivening aerial dance overhead, and elegant sculpture that appears to emerge from the waters. At INVISIBLE RIVER you will engage with your local watershed in a new way, and become a steward of the Schuylkill River and Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park.
INVISIBLE RIVER 2014 Preview from INVISIBLE RIVER on Vimeo.
Biking to the Event
Those in need of a bicycle can rent one from Fairmount Bicycles (and provide a 10% discount if you mention Invisible River). Fairmount will also be leading a “Take Your Time Ride” to Sunday’s performance.
There are also volunteer opportunities:
Calling all volunteers, art enthusiasts, and Schuykill River lovers. INVISIBLE RIVER will once again be creating on a public art and boating experience this summer, Saturday, July 12th & Sunday July, 13th, and we need your help to do this! Not only will people be able to paddle down the river, experiencing everything from dancers on the banks to aerialists on the Strawberry Mansion Bridge, but they’ll also learn about the history and importance of the river and the watershed in Philadelphia. As with any art on such a grand scale, we can’t do it without you! From parking lot management to boater check in we’ll need almost 100 volunteers to pull this off! Will you help us out? We need help from 4-10pm on both Sat 7/12 & Sun 7/13. If you are interested in joining, please email our volunteer coordinator Rudy at jrudyflesher@gmail.com. You can receive 1 comp ticket to watch the show on Fri 7/11 from 6:30-9pm. To learn even more about the show, check out Invisible River’s Idealist post.