11th Annual stART on the Street Festival Returns to Park Ave.

Tuesday, September 03, 2013

Jeffrey Starr, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

You'll be able to catch a glimpse of plenty of fun and unique performances at stART.

Worcester’s premier arts, music & cultural festival is returning to Park Avenue for its 11th annual street festival on Sunday, September 15th.

As in years past, stART will host hundreds of artists and crafters, more than two- dozen stage and street performers, and over 50,000 visitors from Massachusetts and beyond. This year, the team behind stART is developing other features of the festival as well, including food options and interactive features for all ages.

New Features

“We are excited to be expanding our food truck numbers,” says stART Co-Director Tina Zlody.

One of the food trucks joining stART is Julians OMNIBUS, a double-decker bus converted into a fully equipped kitchen with dining upstairs. Chanterelle To Go will also be joining stART with their organic farm-to-truck options. stART’s Facebook fans recently asked for more healthy food options, and according to Food Coordinator Samantha Sorrentino, stART is ready to accommodate.

By partnering with WooFood, which has relationships with healthy dining vendors around the city, “we’re able to highlight which of the dining options are healthier, or WooFood certified,” says Sorrentino. Included in the WooFood certified options at stART are WooBerry, Nu Café, and Flying Rhino.

Activities for Kids and Adults

Traditionally centered in one parking lot, Zlody says kids’ activities are now spread throughout the festival, “so no matter where families go there will be something to do and to explore.” Kids can take part in button making, face painting and massive bubbles, as well as watch giant puppets as they walk the street.

Of course, stART coordinators aren’t going to let the kids have all the fun. The Ecotarium will host interactive features such as Science Plus You, in which visitors can take part in a science demonstration Ecotarium President Joe Cox describes as, “both funny and fascinating.” Participants will also be able to design 3D structures from recycled materials through Wiffle Works, another of the Ecotarium’s activities at stART.

Stage Performance

Stage performance is always a popular feature of stART events, and this September will be no exception. With live music on two stages, Performance Coordinator Gabe Rollins mentioned acts including blues, reggae, a capella, rock, jazz and classical. The Ricciuti stage will be moving just inside Elm Park, where Rollins urges visitors to, “take time to sit in the shade and enjoy some music.” The Food Court stage will remain in its namesake location.

Street performance has been very popular at past stART events and draw crowds throughout the day. The Red Trouser Show will return to stART with juggling, street acrobatics and comedy. Other crowd-attracting street performers include The Yo Yo Show and WOFA African Drum and Dance Company.

A Variety of Arts and Crafts

Of the more than 250 artists and crafters on the street and sidewalks, the range of work varies widely. In addition to jewelry, painting, sculpture and soap, visitors can expect to see blown glass, pet goods, plants, woodwork, photography, stained glass and much more. A complete list of artists is available at stARTontheStreet.org. A number of artists will be demonstrating their work: watch glass blowing, stone carving, bleaching on fabric, and Michaelangelo’s Gentlemen’s’ Barbershop, incorporating intricate designs and characters into their participants’ haircuts.

The eleventh annual stART on the Street festival is family-friendly and free, though donations to keep stART running are greatly appreciated and can be made to brightly colored piggy banks around the festival. Area street parking will be available, and there is an ATM on-site. To learn more, get involved, become a sponsor or volunteer, please visit stARTontheStreet.org.

stART "thanks all the people and organizations who have helped us support the local economy by buying handmade – for eleven straight years!" says the organization.

The event begins at 11 am. For more information please find stART on the Street on Facebook.