eInside Events

Kent State University Hosts Statewide Conference for Student Veterans and College Administrators

Members of the Kent State ROTC detachment stand at
attention during the raising of the United States flag over
Risman Plaza to mark Veterans Day 2012. Kent State will
host the third annual Serving Those Who Serve conference
on July 11 for student veterans and college administrators
in Ohio.

Kent State University will host the third annual Serving Those Who Serve conference on Thursday, July 11, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center in downtown Kent. The conference brings together student veterans and administrators from colleges and universities in Ohio and neighboring states to discuss the needs of veterans on their campuses.

Registration for the conference costs $50 and is free for student veterans.

“We are hosting the event in keeping with our efforts to improve services to student veterans, not only at Kent State, but in the greater Ohio college and university community,” says Joshua Rider, assistant director for Kent State’s Center for Adult and Veteran Services. “It’s important to us that student veterans not only are only recruited to come to college, but also have the tools and services available to allow them to persist to graduation, seek and find employment afterwards and lead successful lives in the community.”

Rider says the conference is for everyone in higher education, including students, faculty and university administrators of all levels and experience from every type of college institution.

The conference will run two tracks simultaneously for administrators and student veterans, and will explore issues related to student retention, success and graduation. The forum also will focus on the unique needs of campus staff and provide opportunities for student-veteran development, camaraderie and learning.

For more information and to register for the conference, visit www.kent.edu/veterans/serving-those-who-serve.cfm.

For more information about Kent State’s Center for Adult and Veteran Services, visit www.kent.edu/cavs.

18th Annual Kent Heritage Festival Takes Place on July 6

Visitors and vendors line the streets in downtown Kent
during the annual Kent Heritage Festival.

The 18th annual Kent Heritage Festival will take place on Saturday, July 6, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. in downtown Kent. About 120 vendors and businesses will participate in the festival, with nearly 23,000 visitors expected.

The festival will feature the annual Kent Heritage Festival Car Show, which will take place on West Erie Street and Franklin Street. The AMETEK Tree City 5K run, which benefits the United Way of Portage County, begins at 7 p.m. in Dix Stadium, and fireworks in downtown Kent begin at 9:45 p.m.
Crafters and information booths will be located on East Main Street, East Erie Street and South Water Street. Food vendors will be located on North Water Street, and three stages will be set up throughout downtown to provide entertainment.

The festival is organized by the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce and Kent United Services Organizations, which is composed of the city of Kent, Kent Jaycees, Kent Lions, Kent Junior Mothers, Kent Kiwanis, Kent Rotary, Knights of Columbus and Main Street Kent.

For more information on the AMETEK Tree City 5K, visit www.treecityrace.com.

To view the entertainment lineup, visit www.kentbiz.com.

Fifth Annual Kent Blues Fest Comes to Downtown Kent, July 19-20

Grammy-nominated guitarist Tab Benoit
will headline the Kent Blues Fest show
at the Kent Stage on Saturday, July 20,
at 8 p.m.

(Photo credit: Jerry Moran)

The fifth annual Kent Blues Fest will take place on July 19 and 20, and will feature free, live entertainment at 17 venues in downtown Kent. Some of the artists performing are Blue Lunch, Colin John, Memphis Cradle, the Wallace Coleman Band, the Wanda Hunt Band and many more.

The kickoff concert will feature the Brighter Side Band at Acorn Alley Plaza from 5:15-8 p.m. on Friday, July 19.

“This year’s event is bigger and better than ever,” says Mike Beder, owner of the Water Street Tavern. “The community has really embraced the Blues Fest as a great annual tradition.”

Grammy-nominated guitarist Tab Benoit will headline the show at the Kent Stage on Saturday, July 20, at 8 p.m. Benoit is a past winner of the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award and a committed environmental activist.

Sponsors of the Kent Blues Fest include the Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center, PARTA, Akron General Medical Center, Apollo Heating and Cooling, Cascade Auto Group, College Town Kent, Hungry Howie’s and Huntington Bank. Kent State’s WKSU is a media partner for the event.

For more information on performers, locations and times visit, www.kentbluesfest.com.

To purchase Tab Benoit tickets, visit, www.kentstage.org.

Cleveland Orchestra Cellist Mark Kosower to Perform in Kent/Blossom Music Festival Faculty Concert

Cleveland Orchestra principal cellist Mark Kosower will
perform at the Kent/Blossom Music Festival Faculty
Concerts on July 3 in Ludwig Recital Hall in the Music and
Speech Building on the Kent Campus.
(Photo Credit: Hyun Kang)

The Kent/Blossom Music Festival Faculty Concerts continue Wednesday, July 3, with a performance by Cleveland Orchestra principal cellist Mark Kosower at 7:30 p.m. in Ludwig Recital Hall in the Music and Speech Building, located at 1325 Theatre Dr. on the Kent Campus.

Kosower’s performance will include “Suite for solo cello No. 4 in E flat major,” “Suite for solo cello No. 5 in c minor” and “Suite for Solo Cello No. 6 in D Major” by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Kosower, principal cello of the Cleveland Orchestra since 2010, also serves as faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Kosower has released two recent albums: “The Complete Cello Concertos of Alberto Ginastera” with the Bamberg Symphony, and Miklós Rózsa’s “Rhapsodie” for cello and orchestra.

“What an opportunity to hear the principal cellist of the Cleveland Orchestra, Mark Kosower, perform the final three cello suites by the greatest composer of the baroque era, J.S Bach,” says Keith Robinson, co-artistic director of Kent/Blossom Music. “Mr. Kosower's recital last year was a true highlight of the festival, and this concert promises to be no exception!”

Kosower’s solo appearances include performances with the Orchestre de Paris, Hong Kong Philharmonic and National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan. He has also appeared with the symphony orchestras in U.S. cities, including Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Seattle.

He also has performed as a recitalist at the Great Performers Series at the Lincoln Center, at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Aspen Music Festival and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. He is also an Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient.

The Kent/Blossom Music Festival Faculty Concerts feature performances by the high-profile musicians who serve as faculty for the students attending the Kent/Blossom Music summer music program, including members of the Cleveland Orchestra.

A six-concert subscription is $72 for adults and $60 for seniors. To purchase a subscription, call the Kent/Blossom Music office at 330-672-2613. Subscriptions may be purchased with check or credit card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover).

Single tickets are on sale at $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, and $5 for students with valid student I.D. or under 18. For more information about the Kent/Blossom Music Festival, visit www.kent.edu/blossom.

10th Annual AMETEK Tree City 5K for United Way of Portage County Scheduled for July 6

Participants in the AMETEK Tree City 5K celebrate after
completing the race course. The annual race, which
takes place this year on July 6, benefits the United Way
of Portage County.

The 10th annual AMETEK Tree City 5K benefitting the United Way of Portage County will take place on Saturday, July 6, beginning at Dix Stadium. Again this year, the race is part of the annual Kent Heritage Festival, and the money raised will be used to fund more than 43 health and human service programs in the Portage County community. Kent State University is one of many sponsors.

Last year, there were 230 registered runners in the Tree City 5K, and this year United Way is hoping for 300 participants. United Way hopes the addition of the walking component to the 5K will attract more participants.

The Tree City 5K is a scenic point-to-point course, which will run from Kent State’s Dix Stadium through the Kent Campus and finish in the city of Kent.

“I’m looking forward to a perfect day in Kent for our 5K race and walk,” says Stephanie Rummel, director of development for the United Way of Portage County.

Rummel plans to raise additional funding this year by asking family, friends and business associates to sponsor her to walk instead of work the event. This way, she can help with the race, but raise additional awareness and money for the community.

Participants can pre-register online through July 3. Early registration will take place at Dairy Queen on 1443 South Water St., Kent, on July 5 from 5 to 7 p.m., and July 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The pre-registration fee is $20, and the fee for participants registering the day of the race is $25.

Check-in on race day will be from 6 to 6:45 p.m., rain or shine, at Dix Stadium. The race will begin at 7 p.m., and the race course closes at 8:15 p.m. There are awards and cash prizes for qualifying participants. Awards are given for the top three males and females overall, top masters male and female and top three in age groups.

An after party, for participants 21 and older, which is sponsored by Yuengling Light, will take place at the 157 Lounge in downtown Kent. Race entry includes food, one Yuengling Light and a chance to win numerous door prizes that have been donated by local businesses.

For more information, including parking and shuttle information, full schedule of events, course map and more, visit www.treecityrace.com.

For more information about the United Way of Portage County, visit www.uwportage.org.