The Art Happy Hour on April 8 was terrifically successful. Thanks in part by an endorsement from the Secrets of the City folks, the event was attended by about 50 or so of our region’s finest lovers of either A) Art, B) Happy Hour, or, in this case, C) Polish food and/or trivia. (I didn’t poll the group, so I’m not sure which of these three was the bigger draw…)

A little bit more about item C): As part of the Bedlam Theatre’s Dyngus Day celebrations, Jim, the Bedlam’s fabulous kitchen guru, whipped up a buffet of wonderful Polish food. And that, plus the Bedlam’s special Happy Hour price for Zywiec (just $3 per), made for extremely good spirits all around.

The Polish Art Trivia contest meanwhile, graciously sponsored by mnartists.org, proved to be a tad challenging. Still, three teams rose from the pack in the end. They are, along with the prizes they won (all donated by mnartists.org):

3rd place: The Herbert Stemple Brigade (won: $4 off passes to Walker Art Center)

2nd place: Triage (won: Copies of What Light: A Poetry Anthology from mnartists.org)

and

1st place (and reigning Art Trivia champions): Rich’s Group (won: mnartists.org tshirts)

Now, anyone itching to knock the juggernaut Rich off his throne, should be advised that at the next Art Happy Hour, at the Bedlam on May 13, there will be a full version of Art Trivia. And we guarantee the topics for each of the three Art Trivia rounds will be less obscure (than Polish art), even as the prizes are as fabulous as ever!

Art Happy Hour on May 13 will run from 4 to 7 pm at the Bedlam Theatre (as always), and Art Trivia will start at 6 pm. All comers are welcome.

Here are pictures from Art Happy Hour at the Bedlam this past Wednesday. Hope to see you!

Art Happy Hour!

At the Bedlam Theater (1501 S. 6th St., Minneapolis)
4 to 7 pm

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday ( April 8 )

Consume food and drink. Enjoy a Dyngus Day buffet.
Mingle with fellow art lovers. Enjoy a relaxing happy hour.
Try your hand at the Happy Art Trivia contest (inaugural version, truncated). Maybe even win a prize!

More info for Facebookers.

Directions for the anxious: If you want to come to Art Happy Hour but are concerned about how you will manage to find the group, just follow these simple steps. 1. Go to the West Bank area of Minneapolis. 2. Enter the front door of the Bedlam Theater (1501 S. 6th St). 3. Look for people who are eating, drinking, smiling, possibly laughing. 4. In case you can’t seem to find the group you’re looking for, seek out a guy wearing a black jacket, gold shirt, and Roberto Clemente-era Pittsburgh Pirates cap (that’ll be Michael Fallon, a.k.a., Art Happy Hour).

See you there!

In just two weeks from today, Art Happy Hour will take place at its new regular time and venue: the 2nd Wednesday in April, 4 to 7 pm, at the Bedlam Theatre in Minneapolis.

This event will coincide with Bedlam Theatre’s Dyngus Day celebration. What is Dyngus Day? You ask. Well, Dyngus Day is a holiday that takes place on Easter Monday and is celebrated in countries of  Catholic bent, such as Poland (where it’s more properly known as Åšmigus-dyngus). According to Polish tradition, early in the morning boys awake girls by pouring a bucket of water on their heads and striking them about the legs with long thin twigs or switches. Fortunately, I’m fairly sure the Bedlam Theatre does not plan to reprise this particular tradition during their Dyngus Day revelry.

What the Bedlam does plan is to provide plenty of Dyngus Day treats and drinks, good spirits and fun, and much more. Plus, if it all works out, there will be a short Polish Art Trivia Contest (as a sort of test for May’s big trivia blowout), and some lovely prizes for the contest winners.

Come spread the Art joy at the April Art Happy Hour!

At the fabulous Bedlam Theatre (at 1501 S. 6th St. on the West Bank in Minneapolis).

Wednesday, April 8, 4 to 7 pm.

More details to follow in the next week or so. (You can also get details by friending “Art HappyHour” on Facebook.)

Greetings, all, and welcome to 2009 — where changes are afoot, a restless sense of possibility fills the land, and you’re all destined to attend the new and improved version of Art Happy Hour!

As you may (or may not know), Art Happy Hour! was birthed — by mild-mannered art critic, art lover and all-around nice guy Michael Fallon — in a dark time during what turned out to be a dark year, January of 2008. Over the course of the year, as moods deteriorated as quickly as the economy, Art Happy Hour! took place four times — in four different venues and at four different times of the week. The idea for the first year was, in order to optimize the eventual convenience and appeal of the event to everyone, experimentation — trying different things to see what worked best for the most people. The results, even discounting the fact that AHH!3 took place while severe storms, tornadoes, and flash floods ripped through the Cities, were admittedly uneven, although the events were always fun.

And we kept trying.

And with that I’d like to offer a hearty thank you to all of you who voted in the latest poll and who sent your helpful suggestions about the AHH!’s format. We here at AHH!HQ have taken into account all of your suggestions and have come to the several conclusions, which will have a bearing on the format of AHH!5 (scheduled to take place some time in the next 2-3 months or so):

1. Most people favor a more regular time and venue for their (art) happy hours.
2. Most people seem really to dislike the poll function on this site.
3. Most people like the idea of including, as part of Art Happy Hour, some sort of extra bonus material/event.

So there you have it, the results in a nut-shell. I’m going to get to work to try to find a venue for our little social experiment, and once I do I’ll get back to you with all the juicy, Art-Happy details. Until then, keep in touch!

Thanks to all of you who have weighed in and given your thoughts about new format ideas for the Art Happy Hour. Thus far, your thoughts have been inspiring and helpful, and are likely to result in some major changes to the format of Art Happy Hour! 5–which will take place in late January or early February–that I think you’re really going to dig.

By way of reminder to the rest of you, the current AHH poll expires on December 31, at midnight–so you have until then to voice your opinions about what you think Art Happy Hour should be. In the meantime, here is, for your personal enjoyment, a video about–what else?–happy hour!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_TMUJIWwyI

Greetings, fine Happy Hourians!

The Administrator of the Art Happy Hour!, for the next few months, is taking a much needed break from this site and from his organizing duties to recharge his jets and retool this event. The idea at present is to hold the next Art Happy Hour! (vers. 5.0) some time shortly after the change of current regime — i.e., after January 20, 2009.

In the meantime, as is our wont on AHH!, we have a poll for you to take. >>>>>>>>>>
It is to determine what sort of new features you’d like to see at AHH! in the new year and under the new president.

So vote, dammit, and let us know what you’d like to see happen at AHH! And see you soon!