Westerville Area Chamber Music & Arts Festival brings large pallet of artists, musicians
The Westerville Area Chamber Music & Arts Festival returns after a two-year hiatus with a record number of performing artists.
The 48th annual festival is scheduled 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 9, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 10 at Heritage Park & Everal Barn, 60 N. Cleveland Ave.
The $1 entry fee for festival guests helps cover the cost of the festival.
Stacey Rusterholz, Westerville Area Chamber communications and community outreach manager, said this marks her first year helping organize the festival, and she’s excited to bring it back to the Westerville community.
“This festival has become a summer tradition,” Rusterholz said. “It has something for everyone, whether you want to purchase artwork, listen to great music, participate in a community mural, entertain your kids or eat delicious food."
The festival’s music manager, Chris Minton, said there’s a record number of bands/songwriters performing; 29 to be exact.
“Festival attendees will have exposure to a wonderful array of talent and musical genres,” he said. “In addition, more than half the bands/songwriters will be new performers, so we have lots of ‘fresh blood.’”
For the first time, Minton said, the festival is to be featuring “songwriter in the rounds” on the community stage on the far west side of the property, between a shelter house and food vendors.
“We'll have three singer-songwriters on the stage at the same time and they’ll take turns playing original songs,” he said.
Minton said a new program is to also be introduced that’s called “Java Central Presents” between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. July 10 on the community stage.
“The owner of Java Central, Ralph Denick, has been a huge supporter of music and the arts in general within the Westerville community,” Minton said. “Every week, Java hosts an open mic on Friday nights, a featured musical artist on Saturday nights and a jam band on Tuesday nights.”
He said the “Java Central Presents” program is to feature bands that have performed regularly at the coffee house.
The festival is to also feature over 130 artists representing art with acrylics, oil, fiber, photography, ceramics, metal, watercolor, drawing, glass, mixed media, graphics, jewelry, leather and wood.
Grandview Heights resident Miranda Gray passed out literature about Westerville’s festival as she painted a mini mural at the Open Air Arts Studio during the Gahanna Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival on June 19.
“This will be my first year participating in Westerville's event, so I am very excited for the opportunity to meet and mingle with other artists and festival goers and to display my artwork at this event,” she said. “I've participated in other festivals in the past, and it's always the best experience to connect with people, share my inspirations and discuss one of my favorite subjects – art!”
Gray said she has attended Fourth Fridays, witnessing the abundant talent and creativity that Westerville has to offer.
“I'm really looking forward to participating as a part of that arts community,” she said. “Festival goers will be able to meet me at my art booth (#92) and I will have a wide selection of items for sale, including watercolor paintings and prints, ice dye and bleach dye apparel, holographic art stickers and resin insect jewelry. I plan to bring a painting I'm working on with me to the event, so you may even catch me live painting.”
Westerville’s festival is to also feature a youth art show and 20 food vendors.
For a complete schedule, including map, visit the festival website.
Mkuhlman@thisweeknews.com
@ThisWeekMarla
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Westerville Area Chamber Music & Arts Festival brings large pallet of artists, musicians
