The Chat ‘n Chew this Thursday is packed with activity. Here are a few of the things going on:

•  CAFÉ Huntington (formerly the Starving Artist Foundation) to provide micro-grants to artists and creative projects.
• Culture Center to create a space where people from different backgrounds can share their culture’s food, music, dance, language, history, and art with others. The group has planned their first fundraiser.
• Recycling. The group is looking at 2 opportunities to improve access to recycling facilities in the area: www.herald-dispatch.com/news/x540212889/Cabell-County-pursues-recycling-program
• Downtown retail initiative. We’ve had lots of great news regarding downtown retail development: Wright’s is re-opening, Third and Ninth Deli and the Pottery Place are making progress, work is underway to announce a new center for artists and artisans, etc.
• Creating an outdoor market downtown. A team has formed to pursue federal grant funding for the initiative. 
• Creating a community-wide event to welcome MU students – a partnership between MUCH (Marshall University Create Huntington) and Create Huntington
• Discussion to build an integrated space for the creative community and a live/work space for artists

 MARK YOUR CALENDAR – Upcoming Events You Will Find of Interest

May 22 Culture Center Fundraiser at Uncorked          Be sure to stop by the Culture Center table to sample Ethiopian, Peruvian, and Indian food – and to raise money for the Culture Center – at the Uncorked Food and Wine Festival. See below for details of the event.

May 22 Marshall Artist Series Food and Wine Festival: Uncorked Tickets are now on sale for the Marshall Artists Series annual fundraiser Uncorked!: A food fair and wine festival, from 1 to 4 p.m.,

Saturday, May 22, on 4th Avenue, between 9th and 10th streets, and inside the Arcade Galleria, in downtown Huntington. Patrons are invited to shop the street food fair for organic, locally sourced, fresh market and enhance their palates with appetizers, main dishes and desserts, prepared by regional chefs, local restaurants and specialty shops. There is no charge to visit the street fair. However, vendors are cash only. Festival goers will have the opportunity to taste more than 40 wines complimented by the jazz sounds of Laura Evans & Company. Tickets to the wine festival are $35 and may be purchased the day of the event in the lobby of the Keith Albee Theater or in advance at the Marshall Artists Series box office, by phone 304-696-6656 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

May 25 Strong Neighborhoods Town Hall Action Meeting      The community’s months long effort to engage residents and identify what can be done to build strong neighborhoods will culminate with a town hall action meeting, 7- 8:45, May 25^th at the St. Mary’s Education Center (5^th Avenue Campus). Join the community in the discussion, learn what other neighborhoods are doing to build a strong community, and find out how you can make your neighborhood a great place to live.

May 26 Business 4 Breakfast: Social Media for Business          I don’t generally plug activities presented by Huddleston Bolen but I thought you would find this one of particular interest. We will hold a Business 4 Breakfast seminar from 7:45 – 8:45 am, on May 26^th that will present ways you can use social media to grow you organization, group, or business. Rebecca McPhail, Asst. Vice President for the MU Foundation is the guest speaker. Registration is required but attendance is free (and includes breakfast). To register, go to www.huddlestonbolen.com/events.

June 7   Inaugural CAFÉ Huntington Dinner     CAFÉ Huntington has scheduled their first dinner for 6pm, June 7^th at McClelland Park (follow 27^th Street until you reach the Ohio River). CAFE Huntington provides small (micro) grants to artists and activists in the Huntington, WV area.   There are only three remaining spots open for artists and creative projects to pitch their ideas at the dinner. Here’s how it works:  One day each month we invite people to a great location for a meal. Guest chefs cook some fantastic meals and it only costs $10 per person to join us.  All of the income from that meal is given as a grant to support a local project. During the meal representatives from the different groups seeking the grants present their projects and then, when dinner is done, everyone who bought dinner gets to vote on their favorite project.  The project that receives the most votes gets all of that meals money. For more information, go to: http://cafehuntington.com.