By Cathleen Twardzik

Project MUM - photos by Charles Daniels photography of Project MUM 2009.

Saturday, August 21 is sure to be a jam-packed, fun day in Union Square for copious Somerville residents.  Four events will occur: Bazaar Bizarre, Ice Cream Showdown, Bloom: An Art Installation by Hannah Verlin and Project MUM.

Bazaar Bizarre is celebrating its tenth year. However, “This is the first year it is presenting an event in collaboration with the Somerville Arts Council (SAC),” said Meagan O’Brien, ArtsUnion Coordinator of the Somerville Arts Council.

In 2001, Bazaar Bizarre was born in Boston.  “It began as a hodgepodge of friends and acquaintances, cobbling together their handcrafted DIY wares to sell, staging an offbeat entertainment extravaganza. The Bazaar Bizarre joins the SAC to present their first summer fair with especially hand-picked local craft vendors,” she said.

The rain date for Bazaar Bizarre will be Sunday, August 22 from 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

Ice Cream Showdown will provide a cool treat from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to attendees of the Union Square event, which will be held in the parking lot next to Grand at 374 Somerville Ave.  Tickets are $8-$10 online.

The cold goodies, available for sampling, come from Stonyfield, Chilly Cow Custard, JP Licks, Christina’s, Toscanini’s, Picco and b.good.  Attendees pay one admission fee to enter the ring of vendors.  It will be sponsored by Stonyfield Ice Cream.

Ice Cream Showdown will raise funds for the local organizations Lovin’ Spoonful, Share ourStrength, Somerville Local First, Arts Union and Community Servings.  Currently in its second year, this is the first year it is supporting ArtsUnion and the Somerville Arts Council.

On Sunday, ice cream consumption will continue at a SoWa market in the South End in Boston. To purchase tickets, visit http://icecreamshowdown.eventbrite.com/.
At Prospect Hill Monument discover BLOOM: Art installation by Hannah Verlin.  “It is a one-time event with the Somerville Arts Council,” she said.  Interested individuals may also catch the event again on Sunday, August 22 in the same location.  Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28 will serve as the event’s rain date.

Further, “Bloom will be set in Prospect Hill Park and will feature 4,500 white paper flowers in a 40-foot circle on the hillside. Each flower will be pierced with a wooden skewer, staked to the ground.  Attendees are allowed to pick the flowers and partake in the age old game of “(S)he loves me, (s)he loves me not,” said O’Brien.

Finally, on Saturday night, jam at PROJECT MUM, a dance party under McGrath Highway, Somerville from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. — rain or shine.  A $10 donation is suggested.  The event is in its fifth and final year with the Somerville Arts Council and will spotlight “funky, spaceship strobe lighting.”
The event will include a disco ball by Todd Lewis Sargent, as well as five DJs: Flack, Wayne & Wax, Axel Foley, Pace and Brother Cleve.  Participants “are encouraged to wear their best Funkadelic space attire.”  For details and directions see http://www.projectmum.org/.

Children will especially enjoy Ice Cream Showdown “because it’s all about ice cream testing. Any kid would love the chance to walk around and unabashedly try every flavor of ice cream,” said O’Brien.  “Ice Cream Showdown will be offering scoops upon scoops of delicious ice cream for just the cost of two double cones.”

Moreover, Bizarre Bazaar will include “a make your own buttons station, the fauxdo booth to have your portrait drawn, and a presentation of “Somerville of the Future!” Live music will be playing,” said O’Brien.

What may be added to the events in the future? “If we continue working with Bazaar Bizarre, which normally only hold winter craft fairs indoors, we’ll probably hope to expand the entertainment and interactivity offered there,” she said.