stART on the Street to Return to the Canal District

Monday, May 20, 2013

Jeffrey Starr, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

stART on the Street holds three annual festivals in Central Mass.

Head down to the parking lots and alleys along Green and Harding Streets in Worcester Sunday, June 2nd as stART on the Street: Spring Edition returns to the Canal District.

The family-friendly and free festival will once again use the urban space to its advantage and feature the handmade wares of over 200 local artists and crafters, a wide range of local music groups and bands on three stages, non-profit organizations showcasing their efforts, a youth market featuring young creators' wares, kids’ and all-ages activities, and a food court complete with vegan options. Area restaurants and bars will also be open for business.

"Over ten years ago, there was talk about creating an Arts District in Worcester. When stART's co-founders heard that it could take as long as 30 years to establish, they jumped into action, and within a few months the first stART on the Street took place on Main Street with 75 artists and about 1,000 attendees. The response has been positive and consistently growing," says Nikki Erskine, Marketing and Media Coordinator for stART on the Street.

In 2012, stART festivals attracted over 80,000 visitors, received a key to the city of Worcester and won the Best of Worcester award for Annual Festivals. The Spring edition is just one of three festivals the organization holds each year.

The organization's credo is "Support the local economy-buy handmade." This is not only because it greatly benefits the local economy, but also brings the community closer together.

"People visit stART events to shop, of course, but also to connect to the community. It's a day where there's literally thousands of things to see and experience, a great time to meet friends and walk around outside. There's new music to discover, a variety of food to try, and information on different ways to get involved in the community - and not just the arts - outside of just stART events," Nikki says.

A Great Benefit to the Community

Locally-made paintings, jewelry, clothing, sculpture, botanicals, soaps and photography, among many more items, will be available for purchase.

"We love the idea of finding unique, handmade wares, and talking directly to the person who created them as we purchase...they turn out to be conversation starters because they're unique, and because every purchase seems to come with a story," Nikki remarks.

The Worcester creative community is not only benefited tangibly from the event, but also in a far deeper sense. It shows Worcester has much more to offer than what meets the eye

"We get to show off Worcester's cultural and creative sides, which someone just passing through Worcester might miss without the excuse to stop," says Nikki again.

Local street parking is first-come first-serve, and Union Station will also offer $1 parking for the day. Though some vendors to accept major credit cards, ATMs are within walking distance of the festival. Though free to the public, donations are welcome to offset festival costs.

Major festivities will begin at 11 am.

For more information please visit stART on the Street's website or find them on Facebook.