Organizers of the West Central ArtsFest have announced the music lineup for this year’s free event taking place in the West Central Neighborhood on Sept. 7-8.
Taking place alongside the West Central Home & Garden Tour, live music will be held at the intersection of West Wayne and Union streets. Kicking things off on Saturday at 1 p.m. will be Jessie Mae followed by Dave & Carolyn Martin at 2:30 p.m., Mike Neglia & The Nobles at 4 p.m., Todd Harrold at 5:30 p.m., and Dave & Rae at 8 p.m.
Sunday’s lineup begins at noon with 2 Before Noon, followed by Alicia Pyle at 1:30 p.m. and West Central Quartet at 3 p.m.
The music is only part of the fun. There will also be more than 40 arts and craft exhibitor booths and eight resident Art Spaces open to the public. The Art Spaces are a selection of resident artists who open their home, yard, studio, or business for the public to view and buy art.
A cash bar will be provided by Mad Anthony Brewing Company, and food trucks will also be on site.
Free parking is available at the Swinney Park tennis courts, where you can hop on the free trolley to get to Arts Fest, or in the Downtown Lutheran Hospital parking lot off Broadway between Wayne and Washington streets.
The Home & Garden Tour will be taking place as well from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. each day. There will be 10 historic homes you may tour with your $20 admission.
Sweetwater announces GuitarFest guests
Sweetwater has announced the list of special guests attending the upcoming GuitarFest on Saturday, Aug. 10.
Those included in the one-day festival will be the king of neoclassical metal Yngwie Malmsteen, British guitarist Sophie Burrell, Danger Danger guitarist Andy Timmons, South African fretless bassist Bakithi Kumalo, Italian funk/R&B guitarist Giacomo Turra, guitarist Greg Koch, bassist Jacob Umansky, and Grammy Award-winning bassist Pete Griffin.
GuitarFest runs from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and will include hundreds of new, used, and demo guitars, basses, effects, amps, and more at one-day-only, grab-’em-before-they’re-gone prices.
Register for free at sweetwater.com/guitarfest.
Catch Ike Reilly documentary, performance
Cinema Center has a special evening coming up on Thursday, Aug. 22, with a screening of the documentary Don’t Turn Your Back on Friday Night, chronicling 40 years of troubadour Ike Reilly’s life, songs, and stories.
Reilly is no stranger to the area, having performed in Fort Wayne on a number of occasions. After the movie, you will want to be sure and stick around for a Q&A with him and an intimate performance.
For more info, go to cinemacenter.org.
Squirrel Cage open for Blackberry Smoke
Opening acts have been added to a couple of shows coming up at the Sweetwater Performance Pavilion.
First up, local outfit Squirrel Cage will join Blackberry Smoke on July 26.
On Aug. 15, The Why Store will open for Living Colour.
Yonder Mountain stop in Van Wert
Bluegrass fans will be happy to know that our friends at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Van Wert will host the Yonder Mountain String Band on Oct. 4.
Hailing from Nederland, Colorado, the Grammy-nominated act continues to be at the forefront of the progressive bluegrass scene. They have been going strong for more than 25 years and are still open to innovating and pushing boundaries.
Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased online at vanwertlive.com.
Out and About covers Northeast Indiana’s most interesting music and arts events. Send your announcements to info@whatzup.com.
