22nd Annual Artsfest Coming at AMG
For more than 20 years, Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Art Center in Solomons has hosted Artsfest in recognition of the center’s namesake, Annmarie.
The 22nd annual Artsfest is set for Sept. 19 and 20, 2015, from 10 am to 5 pm, offering a family fun weekend of fine art shopping, live music, delicious food and drink, children’s activities and more. The entire event is set amidst the trees and artwork of the center on Dowell Road.
This year the juried process yielded more than 160 finalists from more than 220 applicants. The artist booths will be placed along the Tent Circle, Wooded Path, and inside the Murray Arts Building. More than 25 musicians including jazz, rock, folk, blues, and country, will perform on the Main Stage tent and at the Council Ring.
For more information about the event and the center, visit the center’s website.
Festival activities will be scattered across the beautiful wooded sculpture garden, including more than 30 performers, two entertainment stages, a myriad of children’s activities, great food, wine and beer, and more!
On display, and for sale, will be the finest in: jewelry, ceramics, drawing, fabrics, glass, graphics, metalwork, paintings, pastels, photography, printmaking, sculpture, wood, and mixed media. Artsfest is widely recognized as one of the top fine arts festival in the Mid-Atlantic region, and shopping Artsfest is truly a unique experience. From the excitement of the Tent Circle, to the splendor of the Wooded Path, to the beauty of the Murray Arts Building, each area has its own personality and ambiance. Stroll through Annmarie Garden, enjoy the sights and sounds, and find just the right art for you!
Artsfest ’15 is pleased to present an exciting line-up of entertainment including many new bands and genres. Thanks to a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, Artsfest ’15 will include The Lovejoy Group, playing jazz, blues, and Latin rhythms, and The Eric Byrd Trio, playing hot jazz. Other new bands include the Patuxent Partners, playing bluegrass, Taproot, playing roots music, Gregory Floberg offering up his tribute to well-known country music, The Roundhouse String Band, playing old time music, and the fabulous gospel singer Theresa Pinkney will be singing her original music from her Indie release titled, “Me Against the World.” Higher Standards Jazz Trio, the Artsfest ‘14 Performing Artist Award winner, will return along with other festival favorites, including Patuxent Voices, Folk Salad Trio, Some Assembly, Sax Appeal, Steve Gellman, and many more. The rich line-up of bands and street performers adds to the excitement and diversity of the festival!
Artsfest ’15 will feature a smorgasbord of fun and creative children’s activities. In the Discovery Tent, families will find activities inspired by games – from travel games to ball games to brain teasers, kids can make and take their own games. The Zany Zone, adjacent to the Discovery Tent, is a great place for kids to run around and have fun. Giant beach balls, hula hoops, and other fun toys will keep the kids occupied while adults enjoy music, delicious food, and a drink. In the artLAB and on the Hungerford Patio, kids can enjoy more hands-on activities, and explore Cardboard City, the Treasure Troughs, blow-up bowling pin fun, sidewalk chalk time, Artsy Easels, and more. In the Studio School and the Clay Studio, guests can try their hand at a variety of art media, and learn about the many creative classes offered at Annmarie.
On the menu at Artsfst ’15 are more than a dozen specialty food vendors, including Sherri’s Crab Cakes, Grizzly Mountain Grill, Sunshine Girls Lemonade, Calvert Kettle Corn, London Court Beverage, T.K. Grill, Bozick Craft Beer Tent, Solomons Island Winery, and more. Whether you enjoy crab cakes or funnel cakes, craft beer, or fine wine, Artsfest ’15 has something for every taste and budget.
Download your $1 OFF Artsfest ’15 coupon at www.annmariegarden.org, and be one of the first 500 families on either day to receive a free Artsfest ’15 shopping bag. Artsfest admission for adults is $6; children 11 & under FREE; Annmarie members are FREE. Parking is free. Artsfest is a rain or shine event; please no pets! For more information, call 410-326-4640 or visit their website linked above.
