Drove up from West Bloomfield to catch my favorite comedian, Ali Siddiq a few weeks ago. Loved…read moreeverything about the experience. Because I arrived early, I was able to park for free on the street a couple blocks away. The venue itself was very well maintained and very clean. Every staff person was friendly and helpful. Even the process for the meet and greet afterwards was done in an orderly fashion. Even the ticket prices were very affordable. I would highly recommend making the short trip. It's definitely worth it.

The Capitol Theatre is one of the city's most unique and intriguing buildings, rich in colorful…read moreFlint history. Unfortunately, it's fallen on some hard times over the years and has been open for events intermittently over the last few years. There is hope, however, for this beautiful old landmark to shine once again. There are plans for reinvestment into the Capitol Theatre, although over the years, there have been numerous stalled attempts at redevelopment and renewal. It's still gorgeous and the interior, while fading a little bit each passing year, still shows what this Art Deco era theatre was like back in its heyday. The Will Ferrell fllm, "Semi-Pro," was shot on location here about a decade ago. I have fond memories of going to a few concerts here before it closed when I was in high school. It was in a state of decline then, but it was still something to be seen. Shortly before it closed, there were attempts at improvements and renovations, and the Captiol Cafe (a cute little coffee shop) was open late nights upstairs, past the winding, spiral staircase. We used to hang out up there after shows on the weekend back when I was still in high school. Sadly missed. Any longtime Flint native should have some memories of the Captiol Theatre at some point.

The UM-Flint theatre department stages professionally-produced productions all year, from dance…read morerecitals to plays and musicals. I've seen many productions mounted on the UM-Flint stage over the years, like Equus, Noises Off, Little Shop of Horrors, and the Ash Girl, just to name a few. I've never been disappointed. The tiny "black box" theatre at the rear of the regular theatre is also a unique spot for one-act performances, experimental performance art and for theatre students to conduct classes and dramatic readings. The acoustics, lighting and sound are always high quality and seats are comfortable as well. Ticket prices are cheap (often as low as $5 for theatrical productions, a little higher for dance performances) and alumni receive comped/reduced tickets for performances throughout the year thanks to UM's Alumni Association. Open to the general public.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! I have been dancing here for years and everyone is so nice! I feel that the…read moreprices are not bad and the classes are awesome. The teaching staff are very qualified and you can tell they love to dance. The staff are always there to help. They have classes for People of all ages and skill levels! Its a studio for the whole family. From the 2s classes all the way to our adult and competitive classes. The shows are a must and are very professional. I recommend to anyone who loves to dance or has always wanted to dance.

So good! Do many great artists and things to look at! Love…read moregoing with my mom every year!

For a single weekend each June for as long as I can recall, Flint residents are treated to the…read moreFlint Art Fair, sponsored by Flint Institute of Arts and Friends of Modern Art, on the grounds of the cultural center. This two day (occasionally three days, but that's rare) festival of art & crafts is always a special treat for a beleaguered city often plagued by negativity. For that one weekend, the city comes out to enjoy art, music and activities for the kids. It's an eclectic blend of people coming together to support the arts. As a "juried" art festival, every vendor must be approved beforehand by a panel comprised of the FIA/FOMA. In other words, quality arts/crafts, not kitsch, is what the Flint Art Fair is all about. Essentially, everything from oil & acrylic paintings, pen & ink drawings, prints, mixed media, photography, sculpture, pottery/ceramics and blown glass to handmade jewelry, stained glass, clothing, handbags/wallets, leather goods, hammered metal objects, "upcycled" DIY lawn ornaments and everything in between can be found here during any given year. The selection always runs the gamut from traditional to whimsical. This year's event was no exception. I felt that most artistic mediums were well-represented from what I saw at this most recent fair, along the lines of previous years, even if there was perhaps a slight decrease in the number of participating vendors than what I'm used to seeing. In retrospect, I think there were probably 3-5 more booths last year, but it didn't seem to affect the quality of the festival at all. The FAF always has a great turnout in terms of the number and high quality of its vendors each year. The only damper on this year's event was the scorching temperature- the heat index rose to 100 degrees both days, so it was pretty difficult to walk around in such oppressive heat. Sometimes the weather is great and sometimes it isn't, but you can't control Mother Nature. Once again, the cost of admission was $5 per adult. Kids (under 12, I think) get in for free and members of FOMA also receive free admission, but not members of the FIA. I think that isn't fair to strictly FIA members, but the fee goes toward defraying costs of the event, so who cares? Seriously, they haven't raised the price of admission in several years, so who am I to complain? For that mere $5, you get to sample (and have the opportunity to purchase) an array of unique, handmade wares. Literally, a world of art is at your fingertips. Just don't break anything. I'm kidding- sort of. It's always a blast to just trek around the art fair, even if I'm not in a buying mood (who am I kidding, I'm always in a mood to shop and I can't remember the last time I attended and left empty-handed). Alas, I usually buy something, whether it be pottery, photography or jewelry. I just can't help myself. There's just always so much to see and buy. I regret not picking up some Game of Thrones style jewelry I saw. Sigh. It was gorgeous. I think it's a good way to pick up DIY tips or grab a gift that I know I'll use down the line for someone else. A few years ago, I picked up a lawn object d' arte for the garden welded from different metals for my mom''s birthday. She loved it. At this point, I have a house full of artsy finds I've managed to acquire over the years from the FAF alone. Are the prices rock bottom cheap? Not a chance, but they aren't over-the-top exorbitant, either, especially when taking into consideration the fact that you're supporting artisans from around the state (and even a few from out of state) who make their living plying their trade traveling from festival to festival. I personally like the idea of owning some one-of-a-kind, handmade home decor. In my opinion, there's something to suit just about everyone's budget- from $15 hand-crafted bottle stoppers to $800 paintings. It all depends on what you're looking for. Last year, my haul included jewelry, a glass dish and two prints. Every year is a bit different. This year, I picked up a serving tray hammered from recycled aluminum soda cans for $25. That's probably the least I've ever spent at one of these outings. I would have looked around and spent more, but the heat was unbearable. Each year, live musical entertainment is featured all weekend, including decidedly family-friendly acts during the day. However, after the sun goes down and the arts/crafts booths close, it switches to more adult fare, with the beer & food tents still active for a few more hours. Face & chalk painting are always popular activities for the kids and are of nominal cost. There's even a silent auction every single year featuring pieces donated by local artisans, but I've never managed to win anything, despite my few attempts. The items up for grabs are quite nice, particularly the blown glass and jewelry. Proceeds benefit FIA/FOMA programming. All vendors accept credit cards, sans the food/beer tent.

What's not to love about the Flint Cultural Center?…read more Home to the Flint Institute of Arts, Applewood/Mott Estate, Whiting Auditorium, Sloan Museum, Longway Planetarium, Buick Research Gallery, Flint Public Library, Flint Youth Theatre, Flint Institute of Music/MacArthur Recital Hall, Flint Symphony Orchestra, Flint School of Performing Arts, Whaley House and more, the cultural center in downtown Flint is a hidden gem. If you want to soak up some culture in the city, then look no further. This little niche arts community, situated between the College Cultural and East Village neighborhoods, has more than its share of cultural happenings going on throughout the year. I love everything about the cultural center, from its many free or low-cost festivals hosted throughout the year, namely the annual tree lighting near Applewood every December and the Sloan Auto Fair and the Flint Art Fair during the summer, to productions at the Whiting, like the Nutcracker, FSO performances, Holiday Pops, etc, and free lectures, foreign films and exhibitions at the FIA. There's always something for everyone of all ages. On several occasions during the fall and winter, the MacArthur Recital Hall even plays host to free classical music concerts, based on first-come, first-served basis. These intimate concertos are super nice for families or students trying to stretch a buck in a city often plagued by money woes. These days, the doors to Applewood Estate have been thrown open for tourists at no cost! Yep, free tours of the estate and grounds for all ages throughout the summer and fall. Most events at the FIA are free or low-cost, including "Free Saturdays" sponsored by Huntington Bank, which allows for free admission to the museum's temporary Hodge Gallery exhibitions (admission to the rest of the museum's exhibitions is always free). Recently, Sloan held its Titanic exhibition, which proved so popular that it was extended by many months to accommodate the number of visitors flocking to it. The area also plays host to food and wine tastings, beer tap takeovers, and fundraisers. The money goes to charity and it's fun to participate, sample the wares and give to a good cause at the same time. Some of the nicest events in the city take place on the grounds of the cultural center, which I think is actually nicer than similar cultural center areas in other, larger cities. If you've never visited the grounds of the Flint Cultural Center, then I think you probably don't know what you're missing. The area always looks impressive and is incredibly well-maintained. Sometimes, it's hard to imagine this fantastic little area is located in Flint. It's like its own little "cultural slice of heaven." It's sort of like it's a different city, indeed, free of the more blight and crime issues that people complain about in the city. Another plus? Parking in the cultural center is free, unless you're using valet parking for events, of course. Essentially, I'd say the cultural center has been somewhat of a boon to the community for years and is a bright spot in an otherwise not so-happy town. For both people of means and cash-strapped families and students, as well as everyone in between, there are fun things to do here that fit any budget. Even the museum and symphony tickets aren't that expensive and student tickets are super cheap. Other events are outright free to the public. You can't beat free, right? I just attended the local Christmas tree lighting ceremony this year as part of the city's Holiday Walk. It was amazing, with all of the trees lit up/decorated for the holidays and all. On top of that, the recent performance of the Nutcracker this year was top-notch, as usual. For a town that has garnered such a bad reputation, and deservedly so for a litany of reasons, there are still fun, even low-cost cultural activities for the family to be had and most of those involve the Flint Cultural Center, a rare gem to be found, no matter which way you slice it. Seriously, it's pretty easy to bag on this city, with all of its issues (blight, crime, poverty, lead water, etc), but the downtown cultural center is a bright spot, one that seems almost like a carved-out little niche tucked away for locals to run back to every once in awhile as a sort of "artistic reprieve" from the rest of the city and its outlying areas.

Clean environment, lots of seating, wish they had tv screens so people that aren't sitting in front…read morecan actually see what's going on on stage

Beautiful building! Nice parking. Landscaping is great too! Growing up in the surrounding area, I…read morehave gone here many times and have never had any complaints.

The Flint Local 432 is an all-ages, substance free, non-profit music venue located in Downtown…read moreFlint that offers a variety of live music and arts events. They consistently have great shows nearly every weekend, representing a wide amalgam of genres. They do focus primarily on youth (ages 15-25) in terms of their demographic, but they are an important Flint institution. Definitely follow them on their social media and check out the website frequently.

Just started our 6th year and would be anywhere else. It's…read morebeen a magical journey and I look forward to all the exciting days that are coming for this studio! Thank you so much to the one and only Mrs. Carter for making it all happen. 2018 is going to be an amazing year at Fenton School of Dance Academy! Carey Muntin