Culture
Community day highlights North Market downtown areas
Pilot event is part of ongoing efforts to revitalize district
Traditionally, downtown Frederick visitors tend to flock to the bustling restaurants and shops on the south side of Market Street, neglecting the street’s north end and forgetting that only half a mile north other businesses are also waiting for their attention.
But that was not the case Saturday, when the first “North of Fourth” North Market Street Community Day attracted an estimated 300 visitors to the traditionally neglected Market Street’s north end.
Some came for the live music and food. Others watched the demonstrations of the Zumba and Kung Fu classes offered at the Bernard W. Brown Community Center and the Frederick County YMCA and while they learned about services in the area, many visitors discovered a part of town they didn’t even know existed.
“We do come to a lot of events in Frederick, but we never stop here,” said Mount Airy resident Joelle Long, who said her first visit to the north end was a pleasant surprise. “I didn’t even know about the [Habitat for Humanity] store here. They have great furniture!”
Long’s revelation was the reaction organizers Learning Institute for Enrichment and Discovery, the Housing Authority of the City of Frederick, Frederick Memorial Hospital and Habitat for Humanity, hoped for in establishing the event.Though it was once at the heart of downtown Frederick, the north end of Market Street has struggled to attract visitors, but revitalization efforts, including the community day, are underway to bring more positive attention to the area, said Kevin Lollar, the Frederick Housing Authority development director.
Revitalization efforts include rebuilding public housing projects as a mix of market rate and subsidized housing, including 55 green energy homes, the 2009 opening of the community center and the still in progress creation of two murals — one 27-by-21-foot and the other 17-by-21-foot — on the brick wall at the corner of North Market and Lord Nickens streets, Lollar said.
“It’s all about bringing attention to this end of town,” Lollar said. “… Frederick is too small to have a bad side.”
Frederick police officials said crime is not a factor in the negative perception as the area doesn’t have any more crime or problems than other parts of town, said Lt. Clark Pennington, Frederick Police spokesman.
“We don’t get a lot of calls for service up there,” he said. “It just doesn’t have the same draw as the south side.”
Maya Boston, the media director of the Learning Institute for Enrichment and Discovery, said she gave out 250 book bags with school supplies and estimated that at least 300 visitors came out.
“The event couldn’t have gone better,” she said.
Randy Jones, who co-owns Café 611 with his wife, Karen, said he was also pleased with the efforts being made to restore the north end’s popularity.
“A hundred years ago, Market Street flowed the other way around,” said Jones. At the time, the area around Carroll Creek was not built up and was flooded, leaving it to the north of Market Street to hold the heartbeat of downtown, he said.
Restoring the lost appeal of North Market Street is possible now but it will take a lot of work, he said.
“It’s all about creating public awareness,” he said.
Frederick celebrates Lunar New Year
Originally published February 02, 2008
By Nicholas C. Stern
News-Post Staff
Crowds shopping in Francis Scott Key Mall this afternoon were treated to a smattering of Frederick County’s vibrant Asian culture at the third annual Lunar New Year kickoff event.
Lunar New Year, often called Chinese New Year, is one of the most important holidays of many Asian cultures.
Performers and vendors showcased their talents as passersby gathered around central stage to watch or take part.
Billy Greer, part-owner of Jing Ying Institute, of Arnold, and a handful of his students opened the event with the Chinese Lion Dance.
Dancers donning an elaborate lion costume lurched and heaved about as a percussion troupe banged on a barrel-sized drum and crashed cymbals together.
The alarming sights and sounds of the Lion Dance are meant to ward off bad luck in the new year.
For more on the story, check Sunday’s edition of The Frederick News-Post.
Event celebrates Year of the Ox
Originally published February 15, 2009
By Ron Cassie
News-Post Staff
Officially, the Chinese and Asian New Year began Jan. 26.
Unofficially, in Frederick , the fifth annual Asian Spring, A New Year Celebration relaunched The Year of the Ox on Saturday night at Tuscarora High School.
More than 1,000 people turned out to sample Asian cuisine, learn about cultural and language programs, and enjoy 15 performances representing different Asian musical, dance and singing traditions.
Elizabeth Chung, who helped organize the event through Life and Discovery, a nonprofit educational institute that focuses on minority education, health and community development issues, noted that China, Korea and Vietnam share the lunar calendar. They and other nations were represented.
“Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese and Burmese — of which there is a large segment in Frederick — are also represented in the activities,” Chung said. “In Frederick , the Asian community has grown 150 percent over the last six years, and this is an opportunity to see our community come together.”
Restaurants at the event included the Clay Oven, an Indian restaurant; the Vietnamese-owned Lucky Corner, and the Chinese Asian Garden.
The first performance, by the Wong People, a troupe from Washington, opened with a Chinese “Lucky Lion” dragon dance. That was followed by proclamations welcoming the Lunar New Year and highlighting the contributions of Asian-Americans, read by Amjad Riar, of the Governor’s Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, and Katie Groh, of the Frederick County Board of Education.
Other performers scheduled included the Washington Guzheng Society, a group of nine young people each playing an instrument somewhat similar to the sitar. Also included were performers from the Asian American Arts Center and the Yellow River Art Ensemble, both in Washington, the Frederick -based Burmese Chin Dance Group, and local Indian singers performing Bollywood standards.
“A lot of these performers have played the Kennedy Center, and this is an opportunity to see them for $6 without driving to Washington,” Chung said.
More than 25 tables were set up in the school cafeteria, offering information on topics as varied as henna tattoos, local Asian churches, language classes and health initiatives.
Robert Lee, who grew up in Hawaii, comes each year with his wife, Siew Lee, who is Malaysian.
“We come from similar cultures, though we have different ethnicities,” Lee said. “We want to support Elizabeth Chung and the work she does, and we want to get together and meet new people. We also like the dancing and singing. It’s a social event, that’s what we like.”
David Nguyen of Hoi Thanh Baptist Church Tinh Thuong in Germantown, a Vietnamese congregation, teamed up with the owners of the Lucky Corner to do outreach at the event. Volunteers from the church served egg rolls, rice, soup and chicken donated by the restaurant.
“We needed each other,” Nguyen said, laughing.
Celebration kicks off Lunar New Year
Originally published February 03, 2008
By Nicholas C. Stern
News-Post Staff
Crowds shopping in Francis Scott Key Mall on Saturday afternoon were treated to a smattering of Frederick County’s vibrant Asian culture at the third annual Lunar New Year kickoff event.
Lunar New Year, often called Chinese New Year, is one of the most important holidays of many Asian cultures.
Performers and vendors showcased their talents as passersby gathered around central stage to watch or take part.
Billy Greer, part-owner of Jing Ying Institute, of Arnold, and a handful of his students opened the event with the Chinese Lion Dance.
Dancers donning an elaborate lion costume lurched and weaved about as a percussion troupe banged on a barrel-sized drum and crashed cymbals together.
The alarming sights and sounds of the Lion Dance are meant to ward off bad luck in the new year.
Greer said it was the institute’s second year performing at the kickoff event. His group also gave martial arts performances.
For Chinese New Year, Greer said, the Jing Ying Institute usually holds week-long workshops on calligraphy, Tai Chi and the Lion Dance.
Christine Borman-Bozick, of Emmitsburg , often brings her son, Brendan, to cultural events. Borman-Bozick, a former art teacher, said she was pleased that Frederick is growing in diversity.
“I think it’s important,” she said.
Sherry Wolfle and Jordan Tran, who munched on free sushi and dumplings, said they hadn’t realized the event would be taking place.
Wolfle and Tran, who attend Tuscarora High School, said they loved the Lion Dance and martial arts displays.
Ellen Chang, who has organized the event since it started three years ago, said she has seen public demand for the Lunar New Year grow. When it started, Chang said, there were eight vendors and sponsors. This year, there were 29.
Bea Wang, of Frederick , said she was surprised that the Lunar New Year incorporated so many Asian cultures besides Chinese.
Wang, originally from Thailand, said she was planning on attending another Chinese New Year event in Washington today.
Pamela Munjal, of the Indian Association of Frederick , said the event was a great way to learn how other countries and cultures celebrate the new year.
“I love the idea,” Munjal said.