Midwood Maynia and Home Tour

What is Midwood Maynia?

This favorite festival is Plaza Midwood’s way to welcome the season, the blossoms, warm weather and to party with friends, family and neighbors.  Midwood Maynia is sponsored in part and produced by the Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association and is always scheduled for the first weekend in May, in and around Midwood Park.  The event features a famous home and garden tour, a 5k race, lots of kids events, live bands, a pet parade, vendors, food, beer, ... and more!  There is just no better way to spend a spring day in the neighborhood!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We can still use your help as a volunteer for Maynia.  Please contact Larken Egleston, Maynia Volunteer Coordinator, if you have a couple of hours to help.  It’s great fun!  Larken’s Contact Info:  704-519.7128 or le46069@yahoo.com. You can also sign up online right now!

Midwood Maynia 2012 Schedule of Events

CANDLELIGHT TOUR - FRIDAY, MAY 4

On Friday May 4, we continue the tradition of the Candlelight Home and Garden Tour from 6 – 8 pm.  Home Tour tickets are $10 in advance and $15 the day of.  You can purchase advance tickets at Common Market, Georgetown Spa, Central Coffee Company and Pura Vida Worldly Art (Noda).  Look for e-newsletters and on the PMNA website and Facebook page for advance ticket sale dates.  Tickets will also be available at the PMNA quarterly meeting on April 26 at Kilgo Church, 6:30 pm. 

Candlelight Tour tickets may also be purchased in front of Kilgo Church from 5:30 – 7:30 pm on Friday May 4.

Special Note:  The Charlotte Country Club will be open on the Tour on the Friday evening Candlelight Tour ONLY.  If you plan to tour the Club, you’ll want to make plans to start your touring on May 4.  Keep in mind, your Home Tour ticket is good both May 4 and 5; you can tour a few locations Friday evening and finish up on Saturday if you like.

MAYNIA DAY EVENTS - SATURDAY, MAY 5

Runners take your marks…the annual Midwood Miles 5K road race begins at 8:30 am in Midwood Park.  Advance registration forms are available in this newsletter.  Race-day registration and race packet pick-up starts at 7:30 am in Midwood Park.

The Children’s Fun Run (children 12 and under) meets at the Finish Line in Midwood Park after the 5k at approximately 9:15 am.

Midwood Miles 5K Entry Fees: $12 postmarked by April 28;  $15 Day of Race.

Prizes are awarded to Top Male and Female and in several age categories.

Baby Jogger Award to the top finisher running with a baby jogger.

Midwood Miles Race Director:  Chris Folk, 704.634.9081.

Download and print off your Race Entry Form

We love our pets in PM.  At 10 am, join neighbors for everyone’s favorite event, the Midwood Maynia Pet Parade.  All canines, felines and other pets – and their humans – are eligible participants.  Parade participants should gather outside Kilgo Methodist Church (in the front of the sanctuary) at 9:30 am.  After a Blessing of the Pets, the Greenville Community Youth Organization Marching Band will lead the parade through the streets of Midwood. 

This is a don’t-miss event full of great photo opportunities. If you don’t participate but are on the route you can still take part by providing water bowls, treats and cheers of encouragement.

There is no registration fee for the Pet Parade.  The parade route is also featured in this issue of The Spirit. 

Pet Parade Co-Chairs:  Kathleen Thomas:  704.371.4976 and Jamie Banks.

The always-anticipated Home and Garden Tour takes place from 10 am - 4 pm.  You’ll enjoy seeing inside some of the neighborhood’s most impressive homes in addition to a rare glimpse of the exclusive Charlotte Country Club (Friday evening only) and a tour of the historic Kilgo Methodist Church (Saturday only).  Look for a full list and description of homes and gardens here in this issue of The Spirit.

Home and Garden Tour tickets will be sold for $15 the day of Maynia in front of Kilgo Methodist Church.  Ticket sales:  10 am until 3:30 pm.  Advance tickets will be available for $10 at Common Market, Georgetown Spa, Central Coffee Company and Pura Vida Worldly Art (Noda).  Check plazamidwood.org for details.

Home and Garden Tour Director:  Brooks Shelley:  704.451.1107

If you’re a kid or a kid at heart, head back over to Midwood Park for Kidswood, a celebration with activities for our youngest residents from 11 - 1 pm.  Kidswood is a child-centric part of Midwood Maynia where local organizations will present a variety of kid-oriented fun.  Activities may include fun projects such as sand art, painting, bird house construction, dancing and bubbles galore!  In between art projects, the little ones can blow off some steam in the much-loved Bounce House.  See you at Kidswood!

Also, see information under “More Maynia” about the Kids Scavenger Hunt in the Community Garden planned for 12:30 – 1:30 pm.

Kidswood Chair:  Leslie Sykes 704.280.9460, leslie.e.sait@gmail.com

Fun in the Park:  From noon until 7 pm, join all the other Mayniacs in Midwood Park for food, cold beverages, and a variety of activities including great live local music, friends, family, and of course – sun, lots of sun!  Remember, please drink responsibly.  (But then, you can always walk home or take advantage of FREE rickshaw service from 4:30 – 6:30 pm as part of Alternative Transportation Week.)     

Here’s the 2012 Midwood Maynia Music Schedule:

12:00 -12:15 Buddhist Fan Dance: Children from the SGI Buddhist Center take the stage to perform the traditional fan dance known as "Dance of the Disciples." 

12:30 - 1:30 Chris Holder:  Everyone enjoyed this young artist so much before, this will be his fourth appearance in Midwood Park!   The boy from South Carolina plays guitar and sings like he is the next American Idol.

2:00 - 3:00 Blue Tulip Trio: Saucy and slightly irreverent Blues & Jazz by some of the best female musicians in the business.  Three sassy women “of a certain age” spice up the stage on percussion, base, keyboards and vocals.  Look for long-time Midwood resident Austin Sapp at the mike.

3:30 - 4:30 Jud Block & The Final Request: In the vein of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Townes Van Zandt. Texas native Jud Block is a true American wordsmith with stories worthy of being heard. 

5:00 - 6:00 Jon Lindsay Band: A veteran of numerous power pop outfits (among them the Young Sons and the Catch Fire), Lindsay’s got all the classic influences, from Beatles, Beach Boys and Zombies to Posies, Guided By Voices and Elliott Smith.  And he’s also got the chops to mine those influences for pop gold.  He even cut a record entitled "Escape From Plaza Midwood." 

The Midwood Park stage is near the intersection of Winter, Mecklenburg and Wilhelmina Streets.

Maynia Music Chair:  Garrett of Midwood (Ladue):  704.333.6807.

MORE MAYNIA…

Plant Swap:  11:30 am:  Come on out to the Midwood Park Community Garden for the eighth annual plant swap.  The Plant Swap is located between the ball field and the Tippah Avenue walkway and everyone is welcome to join in the fun.  Swap native plants and stories, meet your neighbors, and learn gardening tips.  See more Plant Swap guidelines in this issue.

Dance Performances: Hourly from 11:00 – 4:00 pm on the tennis courts:  Funded with help from the Arts and Science Council and created by Sarah Barnard and Camerin Allgood McKinnon, independent choreographers and founding members of the Collective.  The dance will address the necessity of interaction between the parts of a machine.  This mirrors our understanding of a community and its reliance on all factions of the population and influence on one another.  The audience will be invited to participate. 

Kids Scavenger Hunt in the Garden:  12:30 – 1:30 pm:  Kids of all ages will enjoy this informative and fun garden hunt.

Celebrate Alternative Transportation Week:  Funded by the City’s Power 2 Live Green Grant, this event kicks off at Maynia and runs through BikeFest on Saturday May 12th.  The week will feature Shamrock Elementary’s Walk to School Week, unveiling of our soon-to-be-installed bike racks and bike maintenance stand, free transit passes, prizes and other incentives.  Look for the kickoff with FREE rickshaw service at Maynia and CDOT will be on hand with free pedometers to record the steps walked throughout the week.  Find more information at the PMNA booth.

PMNWatch at Maynia:  Look for PMNWatch volunteers sharing information about Neighborhood Watch programs and initiatives.  Stop by and meet your grid captains and PMNWatch Coordinator, Rob Willis.

Vendors in the Park: Enjoy learning about community initiatives, buy art from neighborhood artists and look for other fun stuff in the Park during Maynia. Vendor Information:  Courtney Williams 704.332.7037

Mayniac T-Shirts:  Look for t-shirts featuring the Midwood Maynia 2012 logo designed by local graphic artist Angie Courtney.  Limited quantities will be available in the park for $15 each.

As always, the Maynia Committee has outdone themselves to schedule so much to see and do, you can’t miss having fun.  Plan to spend the day running, parading, touring, and then resting in the park with your friends and neighbors.  It’s the very best way welcome spring in Plaza Midwood.

We love our pets in Plaza Midwood… but please leave them at home when the music and food starts.  It’s hard on them and your neighbors.

Midwood Maynia Chairs:     Nicole Storey, Chair:  704.231.3356
Brooks Shelley, Co-Chair:   704.451.1107
Larken Egleston, Volunteer Coordinator:   704.519.7128 or le46069@yahoo.com