VOLUME 33, NUMBER 3 |
THURSDAY,
September 13, 2001 |
Palace
unearthed with digital "tools"
Panamania to
bring llamas, music, food and "presidents" to North Campus
By PATRICIA
DONOVAN
Contributing Editor
The planners call themselves "Panamaniacs," a name that expresses their
obsession with Buffalo's 1901 Pan-American Exposition and with its centennial
celebration.
The Panamaniacs at UB have put together an eponymous two-day on-campus
festival Sept. 22-23 in which visitors can experience the thrill of
the original Pan-Am midway through films, music, foods, games and memorabilia.
The program of weekend events will be printed in the format of a Midway
Day Program of the original Pan-Am. It will be the fifth in a series
of special commemorative souvenir programs produced at UB to celebrate
the centennial.
Panamania will take place in and around the Center for the Arts on
the North Campus. On both days the event will feature:
- Displays and information/exhibit tables by historical organizations
and community groups
- Peruvian llama games, Argentine "ostrich" races and birds of prey
that will stare visitors down until they give up.
- "Tangible Memories," the UB Art Gallery exhibition by the Pan-American
Exposition CollectorÕs society.
- Foods of the Americas, as well as midway-type fare, will be for
sale, including a special UB Pan-Am cookie"UB da Cookie," named for
the popular 1901 Uneeda Biscuit.
- Assorted corporate mascots will be on hand to greet the crowd and
sign autographs
- A 10-minute video loop of film taken at the 1901 Pan-Am will be
on view.
- Ongoing chalk-on-sidewalk artwork created by UB art students on
the plaza outside the CFA.
- "The Bazaar," an area similar to that at the original expo in which
numerous vendors will sell Pan-Am related items.
- A 16x24-foot model of the original Pan-Am produced by students from
TonawandaÕs Riverview Elementary School, who will make presentations
- "The Spirit of Niagara," a Pan-Am collage project by students of
the Olmsted School based on the original 1901 "Spirit of Niagara"
poster produced to promote the exposition.
- Bicycling demonstrations by the Pedaling History Museum
- Costumed characters will join the crowd. They will include Presidents
William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, female members of a Civil
War reenactment group, and famed Buffalo resident and Pan-Am dignitary
Col. John B. Weber (William Tojek) of the 44th Regiment N.Y. Voluntary
Infantry. Weber, the youngest colonel in the Civil War, was commissioned
to lead the 89th United States Colored Troops prior to his 21st birthday.
He was the first U.S. commissioner of immigration, founder of Ellis
Island, commissioner general of the Pan-Am Expo and founding father
of the city of Lackawanna.
- Beat inflation with the "penny enlongating machine"just like those
at the original Pan-Am. Insert pennies and have them stretched and
impressed with various popular turn-of-the-last-century images.
- One of the most popular items at the original Pan-Am was the life-saving
demonstrations presented by the U.S. Coast Guard on Delaware Park
Lake. The boys in dark, dark blue will be back for Panamania to meet
with the public and demonstrate life-saving techniques at Lake LaSalle,
behind the CFA.
- Chow down on popcorn popped in a circa 1901 popcorn machine.
Schedule of Events-Panamania
Saturday, Sept. 22
- 10 a.m. to noon: "Pan-Am Antiques Roadshow" and Memorabilia
Sale
Fred Lavin, Christine Siwirski and other members of the Pan Am Collectors
Association will lecture on Pan-Am collecting in general, Pan-Am spoons
and Pan-Am medals and tokens. Members of the association also will
assess Pan-Am memorabilia brought in by visitors.In the Center for
the Arts atrium and University Gallery.
- Every half-hour beginning at 10:30 a.m.: Pan-Am CyberFair
Students from the Department of Media Study will demonstrate their
"Pan-Am CyberFair," inspired by historical photographs and images
from the expo.
- 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: PA JAM II
An afternoon of crafts, music, videos, slides and games, circa 1901,
presented by the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library Children's
Department. It's a great way for children to experience what the kids
of 1901 did at the original expo.
- 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Entertainment by Gonzo the Balloon Man
- 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Hawk Creek Birds of Prey
Many exotic wild animals were on display at the original Pan-Am. For
Panamania, representatives of Hawk Creek will be on hand to educate
and introduce endangered animals to the public. The East Aurora center
is a nonprofit, all-volunteer effort designed to preserve wildlife
and its ecosystem. The majority of the animals treated are birds of
prey, such as hawks, owls and falcons.
- 11:30 a.m. to noon: Solar Boat Demonstrations
The award-winning solar boat designed and built by mechanical engineering
students will be demonstrated on Lake LaSalle, behind the CFA.
- Noon to 12:30 p.m.: Thunder of the East
UB's marching band, "Thunder of the East," arrives at the CFA to plays
tunes from the 1901 era.
- Noon to 5 p.m.: Free samples of foods of the Pan-Am
Chef Ken Kerber will give food lectures and prepare "Foods of the
Pan-Am"-items served in the dozens of restaurants and food stands
that operated at the 1901 exposition.
- 12:30-4:30 p.m.: Leaping Llamas!
To mark the "pan-Americanism" of the original expo and its exotic
animal exhibits, UB geology Professor Michael Sheridan's Hemstreet
Farms and the 4-H Club will present a select group of South American
llamas. There also will be "hands-on" interactions, llama games-including
"leaping llamas"-a llama race, Andean wool spinning demonstrations
and music.
- 12:30 p.m.: President William McKinley returns to the Pan-Am
Why would he want to? Ask him yourself. The president, who was assassinated
at the original exposition, returns to speak with visitors. He will
be escorted by two Pan-Am police officers, courtesy of the Pedaling
History Museum, and, with visitors, will be escorted at 1 p.m. to
the Center for the Arts Screening Room (Room 112) to watch the trial
of his assassin broadcast from the original trial courtroom in Erie
County Hall.
- 1-5 p.m.: Re-enactment of the Trial of Leon Czolgosz
Verizon Corp., in collaboration with the Erie County Bar Association,
will present the re-enactment of the trial of Leon Czolgosz, McKinley's
assassin. The live trial will take place in Erie County Hall, where
the original trial took place. UB is a distance-viewing site.
- 1-3 p.m.: PA JAM II (See 11 a.m. listing)
- 1:30 p.m.: More Bicycle Demos
Bicycle demonstrations in the CFA circle by the Pedaling History Museum,
whose members will be on hand until 5 p.m. to meet with visitors.
- 2 p.m.: SURPRISE birthday cake for Chef Ken Kerber who is
70 years old today. DON'T TELL HIM!
- 2:15 p.m.: "Ostrich" Races
One of the popular attractions at the Pan-Am was the ostrich farm.
The ostriches in this case will be children dressed in ostrich costumes
provided by the Buffalo Bisons. Two children will be selected to participate
and ostrich-lover Buster Bison will be on hand to award the prizes.
- 2:30 p.m.: U.S. Coast Guard Lifesaving Demonstration
Every day at 2:30 p.m. at the 1901 Pan-Am, one of the most popular
demonstrations of the expo was presented by the U.S. Lifesaving Station
at what is now Delaware Park Lake. One hundred years later, head for
Lake LaSalle, behind the Center for the Arts, and see what the hoopla
was all about.
- 3 p.m.: "Doing the Pan: A Virtual Tour of the Pan-American
Exposition"
Susan J. Eck, creator of the popular Web site, "Doing the Pan" at
http://panam1901.bfn.org/,
will give visitors a taste of the original experience via her digital
site.
- 3-5 p.m.: PA JAM II (see 11 a.m. entry)
- 3:30 p.m.: Guided Tour of the UB Libraries' Pan-Am Exhibitions
Join a costumed hostess who will guide guests on a visit to a number
of Pan-Am exhibits that were developed by various UB libraries and
cover a broad range of topics.
- 4 p.m.: "The Assassins," musical by Stephen Sondheim
The Department of Theatre and Dance will present the Stephen Sondheim
play "Assassins," among whose characters is Leon Czolgosz, who shot
President William McKinley at the 1901 Pan-Am. In the Black Box Theatre,
Center for the Arts.
- 4-6 p.m.: Organ Grinder sans monkey
Organ grinder Dan Wilke plays turn-of-the-century songs for your listening
pleasure.
- 4:30 p.m.: Miss the Coast Guard Demo? Don't worry -- it's
BACK!
Lifesaving on Lake LaSalle.
- 5-7 p.m.: Hot Air Balloon Rides
Five minutes in a tethered balloon at $10 a person. Can't beat the
price. The Captive "Drop Me Off at Buffalo" Balloon Ride was a hit
at the 1901 Pan-Am. Come relive the fun!
- 5-6 p.m.: "The Life and Times of Col. John B. Weber"
William Tojek will present a slide presentation on Weber's 56 years
of public service, including his roles in the Civil War and the Pan-American
Exposition in the Center for the Arts atrium.
- 6:30 p.m.: Riverview Elementary School's Model Pan-Am
A presentation in period costume by Riverview Elementary School students
of their model of the 1901 Pan-Am Exposition grounds.
- 7:30 p.m.: "Miss Jane's Parlor"-an incredible show
Robert Berkman and Jane Romanos present "Miss Jane's Parlor" in Slee
Hall, featuring music played on the incredible pianola, along with
songs and stories of the Pan-Am. Originally presented at the 2001
June in Buffalo Conference and Festival of New Music.
- 9 p.m.: "City of Light"-The Lighting of the Exposition Grounds:
Certainly one of the most splendid daily events at the 1901 Pan-Am
was the evening ritual lighting of the "Rainbow City." In this case,
the massive model of the Pan-Am made by students at Tonawanda's Riverview
Elementary School will be lit up as was the original, accompanied
by a performance of songs by the Freudig Singers, similar to those
played at the Pan-Am each evening when the grounds were illuminated.
Special illumination will extend to the exterior of the Center for
the Arts.
Sunday, Sept. 23
- Noon to 12:30 p.m.: "Capoeira Mandinga" Buffalo Presentation
- In keeping with the Pan-American multicultural theme of the original
expo, Capoeira Mandinga Buffalo-which includes UB students-will present
a performance of Mandinga, an African-Brazilian martial art said to
be one of the most deadly forms of that discipline. Its wholly unpredictable
moves combine dance, gymnastics, song and celebration.
- Noon to 1 p.m.: PA JAM II
- Noon to 5 p.m. "Food of the Pan Am"
- Ken Kerber is back with exhibits, lectures and demonstrations of
food of the Pan-Am.
- 12:30 p.m.: Solar-powered boat demonstrations on Lake LaSalle
- 1-1:45 p.m.: In Jest
- Performances by Nels Cremean, juggler extraordinaire.
- 1:30 p.m.: Theodore Roosevelt Shows Up-Again!
- Yes, he's as dead as McKinley, but that won't stop Old Bully. He
visits Panamania in the person of actor Richard St. George, accompanied
by two Pan-Am police officers, courtesy of the Pedaling History Museum.
Museum representatives will be on hand throughout the day to meet
with visitors and show off their bicycles.
- 2-3 p.m.: "Illuminating Stories Told in Black and White"
- Karima and Raya present stories and folktales for children in commemoration
of the Pan-Am.
- 2:30-4:30 p.m.: Llama Demonstrations and Play
- 3 p.m.: Lifesaving demonstration by the U.S. Coast Guard
- 3 p.m.: Gonzo the Balloon Man
- 3:30 p.m.: PA JAM II
- 3:30 p.m.: "Ostrich" Races
- 4 p.m.: Solar-powered boat demonstrations on Lake LaSalle
- 4:30 p.m.: Riverview's Pan-Am Model
- Costumed presentation by Tonawanda's Riverview Elementary School
students of their Pan-Am model
- 4:30 p.m.: "Ostrich" Race
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