All posts by kenpierce

Founder of PiercingMetal.com; a NYC based Music Journalist and blogger. Adventuring into the Metal Scene of the Big Apple nightly.
Features, PiercingKen Says

American Museum of Natural History Outlines Vaccination Requirements at the Museum

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american museum of natural history logo

The Press Release:
We hope you and your loved ones continue to be safe and healthy as we navigate the pandemic.

In accordance with the recent New York City vaccination requirement, visitors must now be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the Museum. Beginning today, Wednesday, August 25, visitors ages 12 and above must show proof of vaccination. See the Health and Safety requirements on our website for additional details, including accepted forms of proof of vaccination. Facial coverings remain required for all visitors ages 2 and up.
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Features, PiercingKen Says

Ragamuffin Parade Committee Cancels 2021 Bay Ridge Ragamuffin Parade

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bay ridge ragamuffin parade banner

Adding some recent news from our immediate territory where we’ve just learned that the long-standing Bay Ridge event “The Ragamuffin Parade” has been cancelled for this year. I’ve embedded the Facebook post that was made by a regional Councilman Justin Brannan. Take a look.

Piercing Ken Thoughts: So before you lay the blame on the city or state, be reminded that this was 100% based on the organizers of said parade. We found the same thing coming to pass with The Mermaid Parade in Coney Island (discussed HERE) and if you’re late to the table on the news our New York City had been dealing with a rising wave of cancellations already as the NY Luxury Design Fair, The New York International Auto Show, The IMS Outdoors and The Summer Fancy Food Show have all postponed this years originally scheduled events. Just click the highlighted text for those stories if you’d care to peruse. Now I will admit that I find it strange that the larger event of the Third Avenue Festival isn’t being cancelled since 50x the attendance of the Ragamuffin Parade happens at that but in truth its still early and we have plenty of time to find that being postponed for a second year. Though I am vaccinated I am not likely going to wander an event where people are back to back and shoulder to shoulder but that’s just me. I don’t have much more to add on this but I do think this parade is a charming one when it happens. It’s nice to see all the incredible costumes and designs they come up with. Chime in down below with your thoughts if you got ’em and Iwill see you again soon. Stay safe,stay distanced and stay masked where advised to do so. Oh yeah and get vaccinated because I’d like to go to things a little more regularly again.

Official: https://ragamuffinparadebayridge.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RagamuffinParade

Features, PiercingKen Says

Organizers Cancel The 2021 Coney Island Mermaid Parade

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The Statement:
Dear Friends of Coney Island USA:

It is with sadness that we announce the cancellation of the 2021 Mermaid Parade.

When we set the September date, we hoped that the Parade, the largest art parade in the nation and a point of civic pride for Coney Island, would represent a return to normalcy. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not finished with us quite yet.

The Parade draws hundreds of thousands to Coney Island every year, including large numbers of children, many crowding onto mass transit for the ride out to Stillwell Avenue. It is the centerpiece of the CIUSA calendar, and we are very proud of the positive impact that the Parade has on our Coney Island community. However, the risks to our sponsors, patrons, community, and our wonderful staff—who have risen to every challenge—were too much to bear.
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Pop Culture

Unboxing The “Sweet Suite at Home” 2021 Swag Box

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toy insider, sweet suite at home, sweet suite at home 2021

It was only a few weeks ago that I attended the second-ever “Sweet Suite @ Home” which is the virtual offshoot of the Toy Insider’s popular toy industry event the “Sweet Suite”. Click the hyperlinked text for the coverage piece. With the pandemic still causing issues with larger public gatherings, the folks at the Insider determined that it was best to do this virtually one more time. This event was preceded by the first “Holiday of Play @ Home”. When the event has passed, the participants are sent a gift box and with unboxing clips a hot practice these days I have offered up thoughts and a bit more as I unbox the goodies for our Official YouTube Channel. Take a look.

Piercing Ken Thoughts: So there you have it, a whole lot of cool stuff and items that I hope you were making some notes about for your own shopping lists. I have to say that I enjoy doing these kinds of clips and if I end up at their “Holiday of Play” event in the coming months that I will do another one. I hope I can work it out because it will not be virtual and is instead back to being an in-person affair. There are so many people that I miss from this group and the vendors that it will be some proper medicine for sure. That’s all I have to say about this so I will see you next time around. Keep safe out there since this isn’t over by a long shot.

Official: http://www.thetoyinsider.com
Official: http://popinsider.com

toy insider and pop insider logo

Features, PiercingKen Says

Museum of the City of New York Announces “Puppets of New York” Exhibition

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museum of the city of new york logonno

The Press Release:
Museum of the City of New York announces the opening of the exhibition Puppets of New York, examining how puppetry has impacted New York City and scanning the tremendous influence the city has had on this artform all over the world. Opening on August 13, 2021, the exhibition features more than 100 puppets spanning New York City history, from theater, television, and street life, including Lamb Chop, Sesame Street, Avenue Q and Lion King on Broadway, avantgarde theater, parades, and more. Puppets of New York is also part of the partner programming for the International Puppet Fringe Festival (August 11-16, 2021), and is complemented by a companion exhibition downtown at The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center.
“New York City is a global capital of puppetry, where diverse communities and traditions intersect and collaborate, and where new innovations to the art form are born,” said Whitney Donhauser, Ronay Menschel Director and President of the Museum of the City of New York. “Our exhibition showcases the long history of puppetry in New York City and the influence of the city on this whimsical and adventurous art form.”

Puppets of New York covers three themes that emphasize the ubiquity of puppets in urban space—The Stage, The Set, and The Street—and shows the power of puppetry to reveal culture, politics, and art. The history of puppetry in New York is a powerful lens not only into rich cultural traditions and creative stagecraft, but into the dynamics of the multiple communities that have made New York New York.
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