Twinkle, Twinkle Ta-Da

An invitation to participate in one of ArtsWave’s signature unexpected events brought people together from across the entire region. Surprise guest and beloved Cincinnati musician Bootsy Collins led people of all ages in singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” with a fresh, funky beat and new lyrics.

ArtsWave Surprise Singing with Bootsy Kicks Off MidPoint Music Festival

Cincinnati, OH -- September 22, 2011 - An invitation to participate in one of ArtsWave’s signature unexpected events brought people together from across the entire region. Surprise guest and beloved Cincinnati musician Bootsy Collins led over 400 people of all ages in singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” with a fresh, funky beat and new lyrics.

“For our third annual Ta Da, ArtsWave is celebrating Cincinnati’s incredible music scene.  People in this region participate in these events in a big way. The initial invitation didn’t reveal what participants would be creating, yet hundreds of people agreed to help out,” said Mary McCullough-Hudson, President & CEO of ArtsWave.

Previous Ta Da events include the flash mob ‘Splash Dance’ on Fountain Square in 2009, and the Paint the Street event in Over the Rhine in 2010. ArtsWave organizes community engagement activities like the Ta Da to celebrate the creative things happening in our city that bring people together and make our neighborhoods exciting.

Participants had to pledge to keep the secret via the online sign-up for the ‘Ta Da 2011’ surprise. Yesterday was the first time they learned that the activity would involve singing, and an advance team of local singers gathered for a short rehearsal with Bootsy on Wednesday night.

Tonight, singers gathered on Twelfth Street in the MidPoint Music Festival Midway near the CAC stage. They talked in small groups and explored the Box Truck Carnival produced by ArtWorks.

The evening started as one might expect at a music festival, with local band Marvin & The Experience, playing on stage. The band was in on the secret and helped out by playing a familiar song. When the crowd seemed to spontaneously begin singing the traditional words to the classic Mozart tune, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”, Bootsy appeared and began a call and response with special lyrics written for the occasion.  After just a few minutes of singing, everyone cheered and dispersed to discover the music, art, theatre, and more all around.

pictures by Mikki Schaffner.
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