Main Street Event Runs to Midnight in Riverside

Singers, dancers, robots, exotic foods and other worldly fare will greet visitors to downtown Riverside on Thursday as the city hosts its annual “Long Night of Arts & Innovation.”

The event will get underway at 5 p.m. and wrap up about midnight on the Main Street pedestrian mall, between City Hall and the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa.

“The Long Night of Arts and Innovation represents the best of Riverside,” said Mayor Rusty Bailey. “This amazing event demonstrates the depth and breadth of scientific and artistic endeavor across our city. I encourage anyone with a love of learning, especially the parents and grandparents of our local students, to join us downtown for what will be an incredible night of discovery.”

According to organizers, the inaugural Long Night in 2012 featured 900 presentations, and some of the same popular attractions will be returning tonight.

Riverside’s sister cities will have displays along the mall, where attendees can browse items from Erlangen, Germany, Obuasi, Ghana, Hyderabad, India, Sendai, Japan and Cuautla, Mexico.

There will be speakers from UC Riverside, Riverside City College and other campuses. Poetry readings, synchronized dance routines and mini plays will be performed.

Working professionals in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields will be on hand to answer questions and offer pointers to youths seeking STEM-oriented careers.

International eats will be available for sampling, along with a variety of tasty sweets.

The “Curious Kids” zone will offer a range of activities for kids 10 and under.

The Riverside Art Museum’s Leonardo Da Vinci Machines will be on the mall, as well as other robotic instruments.

The UCR Department of Entomology will showcase some of its creepy crawlers, and local groups will share all the fascinating ways to enjoy origami, according to city officials.

More information is available at www.longnightriverside.com.

--City News Service, courtesy photo