Arts Corner

 

 

Arts Corner – Riverside Arts Community Spotlight: Riverside Art & Music Festival

Contributed by Rachael Dzikonski, Executive Director, Riverside Arts Council

The Riverside Art & Music Festival returns to White Park on Saturday, September 26, from 2 pm to 9 pm, bringing together live music, visual art, community performances, local makers, hands-on activities, and plenty of opportunities to experience the creativity that makes Riverside such a unique place. Presented through a partnership between the Riverside Arts Council, Riverside Downtown Partnership, and the City of Riverside, the festival has grown into an annual celebration of the artists, musicians, performers, and arts organizations that make Riverside the arts and cultural heart of the Inland Empire. The event is free and open to the community, making it an opportunity for everyone to experience the arts while also welcoming visitors from throughout Southern California to spend the day in Riverside.

This year, we are especially excited about the music lineup. The Riverside Concert Band’s Swing Ensemble, Crystal and the Sassy Cats, and River Rats will represent our local music community on the main stage, followed by Sugar Candy Mountain and this year’s headliner, Levitation Room.  Bringing larger touring bands to Riverside gives people another reason to visit our city and gives local residents the opportunity to see these artists perform without the cost of a concert ticket. But it also creates an important opportunity for our local musicians. Sharing a bill with established touring artists gives Riverside bands exposure to new audiences, adds a significant performance credit to their resumes, and can help introduce their music to people who may be discovering them for the first time. Creating those kinds of opportunities for artists to grow and take the next step in their careers is an important part of what the festival is about.

That continues onto the Community Stage, where audiences will experience performances from BRAVA/Riverside Ballet Arts, Limónadas Dance Company, Full Circle Players, Brass in the Park, Bruno, and many more local performers and organizations. Throughout White Park, festival-goers will also find many of the activities that have made the festival a community favorite, including artisan vendors, local arts organizations, visual and interactive art, hands-on activities, carnival games, and creative experiences for all ages.

At its heart, the Riverside Art & Music Festival is about creating opportunities—opportunities for the community to experience the arts for free, for visitors to discover Riverside, and for artists to perform, exhibit, sell their work, build their resumes, reach new audiences, and make connections that can help move their careers forward. The festival also serves as an annual fundraiser for the Riverside Arts Council. Funds raised help RAC continue providing free and low-cost arts programming while supporting the artists and arts organizations that keep our region’s creative community growing.

Join us Saturday, September 26, from 2 pm to 9 pm at White Park for an afternoon and evening of music, art, performance, and community—and a chance to experience some of what makes Riverside’s creative community so special.

For more information about the Riverside Art & Music Festival visit www.riversideartscouncil.com or @riversideartandmusicfestival on IG.