Starting at 5 p.m. and lasting until midnight Oct. 12, Riverside will host its fourth Long Night of Art and Innovation and showcase Riverside, and San Bernadinos counties talent and excellence in education and professions.
Influenced by Erlangen, Riverside’s sister city in Germany and their two separate events of Long Night of Art and Long Night of Innovation, Riverside’s delegation at the time scaled the event down and introduced it the Inland Empire in 2012.
In preparation for this year’s semi-annual event, Josh Daily, senior international studies major, worked alongside Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey and his staff as an intern, working in the international relations office to help create Riverside’s fourth Long Night of Art and Innovation.
“It helped me get to know our city better,” Daily said. “It’s a whole night of learning. It will be good to go and get to know your local companies and small businesses so you can support them.”
Besides local businesses, colleges like California State, San Bernardino, University of California of Riverside, La Sierra University and California Baptist University will present different programs and majors throughout their campuses.
“When can you look to the left and see an opera group from LSU singing and then you look to the right and you have entomology from UCR with hissing cockroaches?” said Salynn Simon, event coordinator.
In preparation for the event, Simon was in charge of communicating with all presenters and ensuring they have space and resources they need for their presentations or performances, whether they be in the art, innovation, business or education field.
“As a person who grew up in Riverside, having something that is so educationally based, so well-rounded and has so much to offer . . . it’s fascinating,” Simon said.
