BRO Submission by Janna Willoughby aka MC Vendetta:
Infringement is coming! Infringement is coming! Indeed, the 2009 Buffalo Infringement Festival (BIF) is getting a running start this year. Having already conducted two successful fundraising events before the snow even stops falling, we infringers are well on our way to the biggest and best BIF ever. Cruising through the Mardi Gras parade in the new infringement vehicle, a retired ambulance complete with working lights, our street team worked to spread the word about this courageous, underground festival.
For those of you who have been living under rocks for the past four years, the BIF is a grassroots arts festival that takes Allentown by storm for eleven days of ‘art under the radar.’ Eleven days may seem like a long time to continue the festivities but let me assure you that one could never experience this festival in one week, let alone one day. Each year, since its birth in 2005, the BIF has been growing exponentially. This year’s festival will take place July 23rd-Aug 2nd, and is shaping up to be record-breaking, yet again. There will be hundreds of acts of infringement for the public to experience including music, theater, dance, comedy, poetry, film, visual art and beyond. Infringement seeks to stretch the limits of who is worthy and what qualifies as art and I can guarantee that this year will be no exception.
Every revolution and every change starts with dissonance. Our founding fathers (and mothers) fought against resistance to create a nation where we have freedom of speech and expression. In the same vein, the BIF founders have overcome obstacles and have made sacrifices to bring this truly American festival to Buffalo. Most people think that Paul Revere rode through the countryside yelling out, “The British are coming! The British are coming!” In all actuality, he was working ‘under the radar’ and instead shouted that “The regulars are coming out! The regulars are coming out!” I found it particularly interesting that the revolutionaries saw themselves as irregulars–the round pegs that didn’t fit into the square holes. Each year at the BIF, I see a lot of the same people coming out to experience the revolution. This year, I’d like to wave the white flag and invite ‘the regulars’ to come out and join in the fun as well. To all of you who have been hovering on the fringe, peeking in, wondering what all the fuss is about, get on board and hop on the ambulance. It’s bound to be a mighty fine ride.
Check out the info/details at: www.infringebuffalo.org