WILMINGTON — An action-packed day is set for downtown Saturday, Sept. 21 — from morning through afternoon to well into the evening.
That’s what Main Street Wilmington is promising as they combine their third Art & Soul Festival — taking place on Sugartree Street this year — and the new After Fest, all happening before Dancing with the Stars which is Saturday evening at the Murphy Theatre.
Executive Co-Directors Ruth Brindle and Darcy Reynolds told the News Journal that from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Art & Soul Festival will feature about 30 arts and crafts vendors, multiple performances and demonstrations, and four food trucks.
“(Performances and demonstrations) will be running constantly … musicians — either full bands or (solo) performers), Bob Baylor will be doing a Tai Chi demonstration, the Performing Arts Studio is going to have kids come over.. So, it’s a little bit of everything,” said Brindle.
“The more demonstrations the better,” said Reynolds. “To just kind of expand people’s idea about art.”
Vendors will include everything people who make their own jams and jellies to those who refurbish furniture.
Having the After Fest came about to give locals and visitors something to do in between the Art & Soul Fest and Dancing with the Stars.
“If they’re thinking, ‘We’ve already got Dancing with the Stars tickets already, we want to do this, but what are we going to do in-between?’ (After Fest) shows it really is possible that you can get here at noon or 1 p.m., get lunch, do the Art & Soul Festival, enjoy all of that, and stick around to grab something else to eat,” said Brindle. “It’s possible that you could be here from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.”
The After Fest, taking place on Sugartree Street as well, is 4-7 p.m., is a “scaled-down” version of a Third Friday Party. Willowbend will be providing music, food trucks will be present, and maybe a few vendors from the Art & Soul Fest will keep their booths up.
For more information about the Art & Soul Festival, After Fest, and other Main Street Wilmington events, visit mainstreetwilmington.com.
