The Amazing Clark, a magician and puppeteer, delighted an audience of around 400 parents, grandparents and children at Family Fun in Riley Park Wedesday night, in downtown Farmington. Eugene Clark, 45, is a resident of Oxford and said he learned his craft from his parents, who were also entertainers, puppeteers and magicians. You might say Clark has been in the "family business" since he was 10 years old. "I've been doing this 35-some-odd years," he said after the 7 p.m. show. "I loved it as a kid. I thought it was just going to be a hobby, but it turned into a job." Because he does what he …

We're bringing you this week's Viewfinder on Saturday in order to capture the opening of this year's Rhythmz in Riley Park, the Farmington Downtown Development Authority's spring/summer concert series. The opener was moved indoors, to First United Methodist Church on Grand River, but the day's heavy rain and predicted thunderstorms Friday evening didn't dampen anyone's spirits. The Paisley Fogg – brothers Tom, David and Keith Birchler all on guitar, bassist Ron Graham, drummer Tommy Anderson and vocalist Dawn Dehring – has become a favorite for Farmington concert-goers. In addition to the …

Now that spring really has sprung, there's a lot going on at the Nature Discovery Center in Farmington Hills' Heritage Park: Staffer Carol Fink said fawns have been seen in the park. While they're adorable, she reminds everyone not to approach them. "If you see them, the mother is probably nearby," she said. Bees have been busy in the Warre hive installed earlier this year at the Nature Center, building on the three bars of honeycomb left by bee hobbyist Charles Durbin, who also built the hive. You can watch them work, and if you stand close enough, you can hear them buzzing. The bird habitat…

On a typical Monday, about a hundred classic car owners park in the lot at Village Commons in Farmington for Cruis'n the Grand. "You get a sunny day, and it's really nice ... it'll be 200," said organizer Harvey Ettinger. His club, the Grand River Cruisers, hosts the event. The group sells T-shirts and holds a 50/50 raffle to raise money for charities. They've donated to the Farmington Area Goodfellows, and will be contributing to a fundraiser at neighboring Bellacinos, for an organization that works with people who have closed head injuries. There's no admission charge for either cars or …

Harrison High alumna Debby Kuna was delighted to see members of her alma mater's championship football team reading to students in her Lanigan Elementary kindergarten classroom Wednesday. "(The students) look up to them," she said. "It's fun for them to hear a different voice reading to them and have a different person come in." Principal Rob Kauffman said the idea to invite the football players came as the result of a discussion with Harrison principal Aaron Johnson and academic dean Angela Leach. "We started brainstorming ways we could support each other," Kauffman said. "One of the …

At the Farmington Players Barn, things are hopping as the troupe prepares for its upcoming spring musical, The Producers. Based on Mel Brooks' hilarious 1968 film by the same name, the musical was one of the most popular hits in Broadway history and won a record 12 Tony Awards during its New York run. With the book by Brooks and Thomas Meeham and music/lyrics also by Brooks, the show is faithful to the film and in some respects is even funnier. The show was released for production by community theater companies just a couple of years ago, and the Barn jumped at the challenge to bring this …

On the first Monday evening of every month, the second-floor auditorium at the Farmington Community Library Main Library is filled with laughter, fellowship and piles of colorful fabric, as the Farmington Library Quilters work their magic.The group, founded by Ruth Ann Carter of Farmington Hills in September 2008, has grown from six women to more than 36. Membership is open to anyone interested in quilting, from rank beginners to experienced quilters. The group does not operate as a traditional guild; there are no dues to pay or bylaws to follow. It's simply a friendly spot to work on …

Imagine Theatre, Etc. – Janet Marie and m'Archibald – delighted an audience of parents, grandparents and children Wednesday at the Farmington Community Library Main Library. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library, the Troy-based duo performed an array of new and classic children's songs that kept everyone on their toes.

From Grand Tavern in Farmington Hills, to the streets of Farmington, we found people getting their green on, in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. While we started out early this morning, many locations we visited had plans for activities throughout the day. Check back for more photos, and feel free to add your own.

Talk about sensory overload! Pinball machines clang, rattle and chime, arcade-style video games complete with explosions, gunfire and sirens blink and pulse with light, and the ever-popular Dance Dance Revolution blares out the latest tunes as energetic youngsters hop, jump and stamp their feet to the beat. Games of chance spit out always-coveted prize tickets for adept young players, and antique fortune-telling machines reveal the secrets of the future. And if you’ve always wanted to see a (rumored to be) real electric chair or a life-size statue of the world’s tallest man, you’re in luck. …

When Laurie Scott, head of children's services at the Farmington Community Library, was assigned the task of creating a special program for Presidents Day, her favorite Michigan folk singer/songwriter Matt Watroba came immediately to mind. His pleasantly mellow voice, friendly performance style and vast knowledge of folk music and its place in American culture fit the bill perfectly. An enthusiastic group that included seniors, parents, young teens and toddlers seemed to agree as Watroba serenaded and strummed his way through an informative and interesting hour last Sunday afternoon. The …

“Illuminating the Past, Enlightening the Future.” These are the words that the Holocaust Memorial Center Zekelman Family Campus in Farmington Hills uses as its motto. A new exhibit titled “Wladyslaw Brzosko: Commemorating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising” can only add to the considerable illumination and enlightenment waiting for visitors here. The artist was born in Poland and was a resistance fighter in the Armia Krajowa during World War II. He experienced firsthand the horrors of Nazi-occupied Poland and witnessed the many crimes committed against Jews and other citizens. Brzosko immigrated to …

The Farmington Players will open its 2011 season with a rollicking comedy, “Red, White and Tuna,” on Friday, Feb. 11. The play, by authors Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard, is the third in a series of four comedies set in the fictional town of Tuna, TX. The play is both an affectionate, tongue-in-cheek look at life in a small Texas town and a sharply satirical comment on the same. Two talented local actors, Frank Markus and Michael Schacherbauer, play all of the eccentric denizens of Tuna. The two men bring twenty different characters, of both genders and various ages, to vibrant life…

The Schoolcraft College Jazz Ensemble, led by Riccardo Selva, director of jazz studies, performed a free concert at the Farmington Community Library on Monday evening. The concert, titled "Sounds of the Harlem Renaissance," was organized by Laurie Scott, head of children's services for the main library in Farmington Hills.  The event was well-attended by the community, and many residents enjoyed a casual evening of music with family and friends.