Artsfest Has Fabulous Lineup of Artists, Musicians

Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Art Center in Solomons will present its annual juried arts festival, Artsfest ’17, on Sept. 16 and 17, from 10 am to 5 pm both days. The beautiful park provides a unique setting for this weekend extravaganza of the arts with more than 165 artist booths, 35 performers on three stages, creative fun for kids, artist demos, and great food and drink.

Admission is $6 per person, and free for members and kids 11 and younger. For detailed event information and to download a $1 off coupon, visit Annmarie’s website listed above or call 410-326-4640. Please leave pets at home.

Artsfest was first held in 1993 as a birthday celebration for Annmarie Garden’s namesake, Ann Marie Koenig. As a continuing annual tribute, Artsfest celebrates the visual and performing arts by bringing together the country’s most accomplished artists for a fabulous weekend extravaganza of the arts. At the center of the festival are more than 165 visual artists, many of whom will demonstrate during the event.

Annmarie’s Clay Studio and Studio School will both be open during the festival for some creative hand-on fun. Artsfest also includes numerous opportunities for guests of all ages to enjoy interactive communal art activities. Artsfest ’17 reflects the mission of Annmarie Garden to connect people to art and nature, and the success of this popular festival helps to fund and support programming and events throughout the year at Annmarie.

New for 2017

Artsfest ’17 will include a fabulous new lineup of visual and performing artists. Browse and shop more and 165 artist booths – inside and outside –  featuring jewelry, ceramics, drawing, fabrics, glass, graphics, metalwork, paintings, pastels, photography, printmaking, sculpture, wood, and mixed media. Guests will enjoy 35 bands performing on three stages, including the new Waterside Patio Stage.

The Main Stage, located in the heart of the festival, will features an all-new lineup of performers including Elikeh, Djangolaya, the Honey Dewdrops, California Ramblers, Grubby Bizzness, Fair Warning, David Norris & Shadowbox, the Bootleggers, and Braddock Station Garrison. The Council Ring and the Waterside Patio will feature a wide variety of acoustic music, dance, art performances and more. With three stages, plus strolling entertainers, Artsfest offers a rich and exciting festival experience for all.

The entertainment is made possible by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Those bringing kids to Artsfest ’17 will find a wide variety of activities to keep them engaged and entertained. Don’t miss the Discovery Tent, where kids can “keep calm and make art,” including fidget spinners, zentangle zoo drawings, finger labyrinths, and stress balls. Kids can run off their excess energy in the Zany Zone and the Fairy Lolly, and enjoy creative play in the Patio Play Area. All ages will enjoy playing with clay in the Clay Studio and exploring the fundamentals of still life drawing in the Studio School. Check out the entertainment schedule to learn more about the many children’s performers, including bubble magic with Marigold Bumbleroot and face painting with Kreative Kharacters.

Visitors won’t go hungry at Artsfest with an amazing array of food options, including wine and microbrews, smoothies, fresh-squeezed lemonade, crab cake sandwiches, stuffed ham sandwiches, barbeque, rockfish wraps, shrimp Po’ Boys, ice cream, funnel cake, fried Oreos, kettle corn, and much more. Most food vendors accept credit cards, but there will be an ATM at the festival.

Artsfest ’17 Entertainment Schedule

Saturday, Sept. 16

Main Stage

11:00-11:45      Fair Warning, Americana variety

12:00-12:45     Elikeh, Afro-pop band

1:00-1:45         Elikeh, Afro-pop band

2:00-2:45         Bootleggers, women performed music – country, blues, and pop

3:00-3:45         Djangolaya, gypsy jazz

4:00-4:45         Grubby Bizzness, blues, jazz, fusion, funk, hip-hop

Council Ring

11:00-11:45      Southern Maryland Youth Orchestra & Choir – Pops Band, youth performance

12:00-12:45      Steven Gellman, original contemporary folk

1:00-1:45          Patuxent Voices, a capella variety

2:00-2:45          Abigail Francisco School of Classical Ballet, student performance

3:00-3:45          The Wild Irish Rose, fiddle

4:00-4:45          Rachel Martin Dance, flamenco dance

Waterside Patio

12:30 – 1:15      Wind Song – Mark Guiffrida, healing sounds

1:30 – 2:15        Joel Tuminaro, hand pan

2:30 – 3:15        Marigold Bumbleroot, bubble magic

Sunday, Sept. 17

Main Stage

11:00-11:45      California Ramblers, traditional bluegrass

12:00 -12:45    The Honey Dewdrops, country duo

1:00-1:45          The Honey Dewdrops, country duo

2:00-2:45          David Norris & Shadowbox, Southern Maryland Americana singer-songwriter

3:00-3:45          California Ramblers, traditional bluegrass

4:00-4:45          Braddock Station Garrison, Americana, power pop, rock-n-roll

Council Ring

11:00-11:45      COSMIC Flute Choir, classical, folk, jazz

12:00-12:45      Josh Riley, blues, country, modern hits

1:00-1:45          Garrett Music Academy, student performance

2:00-2:45          Bob Pfeiffer & Eric Skow, eclectic mix from 50’s to present

3:00-3:45          Sax Appeal, jazz, swing, popular, sacred

4:00-4:45          Spencer Joyce, acoustic pop

Waterside Patio

12:30 – 1:15      Marigold Bumbleroot, bubble magic

1:30 – 2:15        Joel Tuminaro, hand pan

2:30 – 3:15        The Wild Irish Rose, fiddle

3:30 – 4:15        Some Assembly, acoustic Irish, Cape Breton, original compositions

Strolling Performers & Entertainers

Saturday & Sunday                               Kreative Kharacters, face painting
Saturday & Sunday 12 pm-4 pm        Marigold Bumbleroot, bubble magic
Saturday & Sunday 12 pm-5 pm         Wind Song – Mark Giuffrida, healing sounds

Saturday & Sunday 1-5 pm                 Joel Tuminaro, hand pan

Sunday Afternoon                                Josh Riley, acoustic strolling music

Sunday Afternoon                                 Spencer Joyce, acoustic strolling music

Artsfest is sponsored by Maryland State Arts Council, Dominion Energy, BuiltRite Homes, Jane and Walter Grove, Bozick  Distributors, Arts Council of Calvert County, Quality Built Homes Inc., Comcast, SMECO, Jan Kleponis @ O’Brien Realty, Just Tech, Gene and Carolyn McHugh, Gail Siegel-O’Brien Realty, AH Hatcher, The Greenery Landscaping Center, Roy Rogers, County First Bank, Lexington Park Dentistry, Jacqueline Morgan Day Spa, Edward Sanders Insurance, Asbury Solomons, Calvert Marina, Katie and Tom Watts, Community Bank of the Chesapeake, Jetmore Insurance, PNC Bank, Sabre Systems Inc.Holiday Inn Solomons, Drs. Richard & Jean Fleming, Washburn’s Boat Yard, Alice’s Table-Ashley Morgan, Evelyn and Vince Hungerford, Calvert Internal Medicine Group, Tommy Higgins and Lee Woodfin, Top Hat Party, Garner & Duff Flower Shop, Papa John’s Pizza, Calvert Memorial Hospital, Chesapeake Golf Course, Boy Scout Troop 427, Patuxent High School NJROTC, and Southern Maryland Newspapers.

To learn more about Annmarie Garden, visit its Leader member page.