Festival Of Arts This Weekend

From classical art exhibits to sand castle contests and even a kite-making class, the Festival of Arts will have something for everyone this year.

After kicking off with a champagne and culinary fundraiser Sunday, organizers are ready to bring art in all its forms to the town this week.

"We are going to paint the skies with kites and build sand castles on the beach," festival board Vice President Lynne DeVoe  said. "For many, this is the official kick off to summer."

DeVoe started working for the annual festival in 1995 and loves bringing art to residents and meeting new people each year.

"I love meeting people and meeting the high school kids who come out and volunteer," DeVoe said, noting some have come back after college and co-chaired events in the festival. "I also love that it's educational -- if you go to the judging you can see an interpretation through different eyes. Every opportunity you have to talk to an artist is wonderful too; you see what they were feeling."

The mother of five and grandmother of nine, she counts festival volunteers, especially the teens and young adults, as her extended family.

New this year, DeVoe said, is "everything."

"All the work is original so it's always new," she said about the exhibits at Abbot Hall and the Old North Church. The Uniterian Church will be center stage for the writer's world, the literary cafe and live theatre performances by Rebel Shakespeare.

Also on tap this year is a Writer's World Tea Room in the wine cellar of the Arts Association and a Literary Arts Cafe at the Unitarian Universalist Church for a more elaborate food experience. Both will offer a chance to get out of the heat and catch up with friends DeVoe said.

The annual festival may only last five days in length, but planning starts in the fall with heavy competition to rent venues to hold the festival around town.

"There is more competition each year so you have to jump start and move right away reserving spots," DeVoe said, noting the logo contest is one of the first tasks of the Festival of Arts.

During the rest of the year, the board also present the annual Christmas Walk and artisan's market place.

"We want people to know we're always here working to create this summer experience," DeVoe said. "From our inception in 1962, we have wanted to present art in multiple forms to the community."

Over the years, the community has taken to the festival. The largely free-to-attend list of festival events is brought to town mainly on donations.

"There is a huge competition for donations and volunteers, but we are still succeeding," DeVoe said. "Everyone loves a different aspect of the festival and the festival means different things to different people."

Here are some of the events:

Thursday, July 1

• Awards Night Presentation, 6:30 p.m to 7:30 p.m. The 2010 Marblehead Festival of Arts opens with an awards presentation at Abbot Hall, followed by the opening of Art Exhibits.

Friday, July 2

• Painting-the-Town -- Plein aire artists meet for breakfast, then go out to selected Marblehead locations to paint the town.
• Performing Arts, 6 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
  The Performing Arts Program gets underway with Jubilee Mule followed by Session Americana with Rose Polenzani.
• Film Festival, 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
  The MFoA Summer Film Festival follows the opening of Performing Arts, Friday evening at Crocker Park.

Saturday, July 3

• Kite Festival, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Devereux Beach.
• Sand Sculpture Competition 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Devereux Beach
• Festival Logo Store, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Art Exhibits, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  ArcWorks, Crafts, Drawing, Logo Art, Painting, Photography, Mixed Media, Printmaking, Sculpture, Senior Art, Student Art, Writers' World, Youth Art
• Performing Arts: Local Artists Showcase, noon to 3:30 p.m.
• Theatre Festival, noon and 2 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Church
• Tea Room, noon to 5 p.m., Marblehead Arts Association
• Painting the Town, 2 p.m., Awards Presentation and Artist Reception
  2:30 to 5:00 p.m.
• Performing Arts, 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Violette followed by Machine 475.

Sunday, July 4

• Artisans' Marketplace 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., First day of a two-day arts-and-crafts show that hosts some of the finest local artists as well as artists from all over New England.
• Art Exhibits in Abbot Hal, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Crafts, drawing, painting, printmaking, other art exhibits open at noon.
• Model Boat Building Workshop, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 
  3 p.m. Regatta.  Model boat building workshop on the lower grounds outside Abbot Hall, followed by a regatta at Redd's Pond.
• Art Exhibits, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., ArcWorks, crafts, drawing, logo art, painting, painting-the-town, photography, mixed media, printmaking, sculpture, senior art, student art, writers' world, youth art.
• Performing Arts: Local Artists Showcase, noon to 3:30 p.m.
• Theatre Festival, noon and 2:00 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church
• Tea Room, noon to 5 p.m. Marblehead Arts Association
• Performing Arts, 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. KBMG followed by Adam Ezra Group.

Monday, July 5

• Art Exhibits 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ArcWorks, crafts, drawing, logo art, painting, painting-the-town, photography, mixed media, printmaking, sculpture, senior art, student art, writers' world, youth art.
• Artisans' Marketplace, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Second day of a two-day arts-and-crafts show that hosts some of the finest local artists as well as artists from all over New England.
• Festival Logo Store, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tea Room, noon to 5 p.m. Marblehead Arts Association
• Theatre Festival/Writers' World 2 p.m.
  Mugford Street Players read selections from Writers' World.
• Street Festival, noon to 4 p.m. The 2010 Festival concludes with the always popular block party on lower Washington Street.