Dance, Drink and Explore Meadow Brook Hall in 'Evening at the Great Estate'

Tickets are still available for this strolling dinner and dancing event.

Meadow Brook Hall Awarded Funding From State Arts Organization

The money will help support the operation of Rochester's National Historic Landmark.

Meadow Brook Hall has been awarded a grant of $18,000 from the State of Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. The Rochester attraction, which was named a National Historic Landmark last year “The support of the state’s premier cultural organization for operating support of our curatorial endeavors represents a significant boost to our efforts” said Geoffrey Upward, executive director of Meadow Brook Hall, said in a press release. “As stewards of this independent auxiliary of Oakland University, and the fourth largest historic house museum in the United States, we need to raise thousands ofdollars a day to keep this incredible property in good condition for our many touring and special event visitors, including educational and …

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Pure Michigan Viral Singalong Video Taken Off YouTube

An alleged copyright infringement caused the video to be removed this weekend.

The Pure Michigan video that was filmed in part at Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester has been removed from YouTube because of an alleged copyright infringement. "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Songs Music Publishing," reads a message that replaces the viral video link. Both Pure Michigan and the video's producer acknowledged the problem. The viral singalong video featured people across the state singing Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City's "Good Time." Filmed for Pure Michigan by Jeff Barrett and Rob Bliss of Status Creative, it featured an elegant dinner party scene at Meadow Brook Hall. It was filmed last month as part of a weeklong road trip to 50 tourist stops in Michigan. (Read "Black Tie Sing-Along is Rochester…

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It's Always a Good Time: Rochester Stars in Pure Michigan Singalong

Here's the video, filmed in part at Meadow Brook Hall. It premiered during halftime of today's Detroit Lions home opener.

'We don't even have to try — it's always a good time." That was the phrase performed again and again, from the dunes of Lake Michigan to Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester, during the filming of a Pure Michigan video that shows off the depth of tourist attractions in the state. The video, filmed for Pure Michigan by Jeff Barrett and Rob Bliss of Status Creative, features an elegant dinner party scene at Meadow Brook Hall. It was filmed two weeks ago as part of a weeklong road trip to 50 tourist stops in Michigan. (Read "Black Tie Sing-Along is Rochester's Contribution to Pure Michigan Video") The three-minute video, which can be viewed here, premiered at halftime of the Detroit Lions-St. Louis Rams game on Sunday; the singalong song was Carly …

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Detroit Lions Home Opener Will Feature Rochester at Halftime

The 'Pure Michigan' video that filmed a scene at Meadow Brook Hall will debut during Sunday's game.

A part of Rochester will be on display at Ford Field on Sunday. A digital video that highlights attractions across Michigan will debut during halftime of the Detroit Lions home opener against the St. Louis Rams.  The video, filmed for Pure Michigan by Jeff Barrett and Rob Bliss, features an elegant dinner party scene at Meadow Brook Hall. It was filmed two weeks ago. (Read "Black Tie Sing-Along is Rochester's Contribution to Pure Michigan Video") "Our video with @PureMichigan & @Chrysler will premiere this Sunday at Ford Field during halftime of the @DetroitLionsNFL home opener! #NFL," tweeted Barrett from his @BarrettAll account. The video is part of a Pure Michigan campaign and the stop in Rochester was one of about a hundred across the …

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Black Tie Sing-Along is Rochester's Contribution to Pure Michigan Video

Here's what happened when the road trip video crew stopped at Meadow Brook Hall this week.

What happens when you host a formal dinner party before breakfast?  You become one stop on a road trip tour of Michigan and have a chance to show off a historic landmark at the same time. Meadow Brook Hall was the setting Wednesday morning for the filming of part of a digital video that highlights special attractions across Michigan. It's the creation of Jeff Barrett and Rob Bliss, whose popular Grand Rapids LibDub video went viral earlier this year.  The video is part of a Pure Michigan campaign and the stop in Rochester was one of about a hundred across the state. "Meadowbrook Hall. Like something out of a movie," tweeted @BarrettAll, upon arriving in Rochester on Wednesday morning. The set was a closed one; some of the stops, like one …

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'Brick and Mortar' Artwork on Display at Meadow Brook Hall

The fine art exhibit opens Wednesday.

An exhibit of fine art with architecture as a theme opens this week at Meadow Brook Hall. “Brick & Mortar,” featuring seven metro Detroit artists, will be on display in the Family Garage at the Hall from Wednesday through Sept. 15. It features works of art that "blend notions of decadence, shelter and privacy," according to a statement from Meadow Brook Hall.  Artists are co-curators Richard Haley and Cody VanderKaay, as well as Corrie Bauldauf, Amy Feigley, David Lambert, Julie Prokop and Chris Lee. “All of the work will be quite diverse visually, but was made in conversation with Meadow Brook’s 2012 Architecture theme,” Haley said. Visitors can view the exhibit as part of their tour of The Hall. Now through Sept. 2 tours are offered …

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Meadow Brook Hall Clarifies New Photography Policy

Visitors are welcome to take souvenir photos, but professional photographers are asked not to use Meadow Brook for backdrops or commercial work.

You can certainly admire Rochester's National Historic Landmark. But before you head to Meadow Brook Hall to take photos, there's a new policy to note. Since it was designated a National Historic Landmark in the spring, Meadow Brook Hall has seen an increase in professional photographers and videographers wanting to use the grounds for their work. As a result, Meadow Brook recently posted signs indicating that no photography is allowed on the grounds. Readers of Rochester Patch who attended a recent "Hug the Hall" celebration at Meadow Brook expressed concerns about the policy, so we asked for a clarification.  Here's what Meadow Brook officials had to say: "Meadow Brook's 'photography not allowed on the grounds' signs are meant to …

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Balloon-Holding Crowd Circles Meadow Brook Hall in Celebratory 'Hug'

It's now a National Historic Landmark, and the community came out to say "wow!"

There are many ways to celebrate good news.  Perhaps a giant group hug is one of the most fitting. That was the idea Friday afternoon when hundreds gathered at Meadow Brook Hall on the campus of Oakland University to formally recognize it being named a National Historic Landmark. The building was awarded the distinction in the spring. There are fewer than 2,500 such properties in the country and 36 such landmarks in Michigan; this is the first in Rochester. The celebration featured a free community picnic, tours of the hall, musical entertainment and a scavenger hunt for kids. The event concluded with guests surrounding the building (thus, the "hug"), counting down from 10 and releasing colorful balloons. Were you at the celebration? Share…

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Kristin Bull

10:38 am on Thursday, July 26, 2012

Here is an update on the new photography policy at Meadow Brook. http://patch.com/A-wzP8   more ›

Rochester's Biggest-Ever Group Hug? It's Planned Friday at Meadow Brook

The National Historic Landmark will open its grounds for a free picnic before inviting the community to 'Hug the Hall.'

There's no better way to celebrate good news than an old-fashioned group hug. That's the plan Friday afternoon at Meadow Brook Hall on the campus of Oakland University, when the National Historic Landmark opens its grounds to celebrate its recent designation. The "Hug the Hall" event will feature a picnic lunch, free tours, music and a scavenger hunt. The event will end with a celebratory balloon release and a group hug that will surround the actual building itself. Meadow Brook Hall was designated in the spring by the U.S. Department of Interior as one of 13 new National Historic Landmarks. There are fewer than 2,500 such properties in the country and 36 such landmarks in Michigan, including the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, the Fox …

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