Howdy, everyone -- like most people on the Hill, we're starting to gear up for the soft opening of the East Hall temporary building this coming Saturday! Word is filtering in from merchants that they've signed leases and will be in the building on Saturday; we'll wait to get more of a comprehensive list, and will likely post it tomorrow. If you have any information about specific merchants, please send it along!
In other news:
The Goethe-Institut Washington is going to be hosting a free panel discussion entitled “Bringing Eastern Market Back: Sounds, Pictures, and Historic Preservation” on Thursday, September 6th at 6:30 PM. (For those who're confused about the connection, the Goethe-Institut has a specific interest in Adlf Cluss, the German immigrant who designed quite a number of historic buildings in the District, including Eastern Market.) In addition to Cluss experts, participants in the panel include Baird Smith (the Quinn-Evans architect who's leading the South Hall rebuilding project) and Monte Edwards (one of our EMCAC members); it should be a great discussion.
Eastern Market Pottery has a new home! According to Gary Peterson's latest update, the group has started moving into space in the 200 block of Massachusetts Avenue, NE, and should be ready to open in September. As we get more information, we'll pass it along.
And of course, the opening of the East Hall won't interrupt the Eastern Market Music Series this Sunday. Scheduled to perform are Archie's Barbershop Jambassadors (at 10:30 AM) and the Bill Baker Trio (at 1:00 PM). As always, you can get more information about both groups at the CHCF website, and find them performing outside Port City Java. (Although I wonder if they'll find space by the East Hall this weekend? That would be ideal!)