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  20TH ANNUAL ART AND JAZZ FESTIVAL By Erika Jones
If this sounds like your ideal way to spend a weekend, then the annual Wells Fargo Art and Jazz Festival, May 9-11, 2008, is perfect for you and your family. Known throughout the Southwest for its showcase of live jazz acts and its celebration of art and artistic expression, the Art and Jazz Festival is a local and visitor favorite, drawing crowds from all over the nation. Taking place along Main Street from Third to Seventh Streets in downtown Grand Junction (which is closed to vehicle traffic during the Festival), there truly is something for everyone, of all ages and interests. Past festivals, scheduled as a springtime Grand Junction event for 20 years, have featured such jazz artists as the Hazel Miller Band, Quemando, Lynn Skinner, Craig Kingfish Griffin and the Michelle Wilkinson Jazz Quartet. In addition to the big name acts, festival goers can also experience the professional live jazz presented by Grand Junction’s own Mesa State College. The main music stage, located at the corner of Main and Fourth Streets, is the perfect setting to send music permeating throughout downtown Grand Junction. The art at the Festival rivals the explosive jazz acts. Close to 100 artists, both local and national exhibitors, vend and display their work, as well as participate in a Demonstration Exhibit, which allows visitors to experience the artists demonstrating the creation of their art. Artisans at the Festival range from jewelry-makers to weavers, sculptors, potters, woodworkers, painters,
In addition to the music and the art vendors, the Art and Jazz Festival takes place in conjunction with the unveiling and installation of new sculptures for the Art on the Corner project, which provides local and national sculptors the opportunity to display their work, free of charge, to the community for one year. All new sculptures are for sale to the public, and 25 percent of the proceeds of sculpture sales go back into the Art on the Corner program, allowing it to expand yearly. Located in the heart of Grand Junction’s Downtown Shopping Park, the Art on the Corner outdoor sculptures feature Grand Junction’s commitment to the arts, and the prominent place of culture within the community. The Art on the Corner project now boasts over 85 permanent structures and approximately 30 pieces in the temporary exhibit. Supported by the Art and Jazz Festival, the Art on the Corner Sculpture Change takes place on the Saturday of the Festival, and festival goers can meet artists and watch the sculpture installations. Hotels book early for the Festival, so make sure to confirm your reservations in advance. For more information, contact the Downtown Partnership at www.downtowngj.org at 970-256-4133. The 2008 music line-up will be announced in late January 2008. For more information on the Art on the Corner Program, contact Allison Sarmo with the Art on the Corner Committee at 970-254-3865. |
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