This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

Festival of the Arts Kicks Off Thursday

Parkland's eighth annual community event focuses on visual, performing arts.

The eighth Annual Festival of the Arts gets under way Thursday at , as the campus off N. Cedar Crest Boulevard is transformed into an arts mecca with music, dance performances, arts displays and food, including a '50s-inspired Stardust Diner.

More than 900 works of student art from Parkland School District’s 11 schools, performances by 250 students and an “instrument petting zoo” that will introduce youngsters to a variety of musical instruments will round out the family-oriented event.

The three-day festival, which is free and open to the public, goes through Saturday at 4 p.m.

Find out what's happening in South Whitehallwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The idea for the festival came about when Mark Stutz, director of Visual and Performing Arts, was interviewing for the position he now holds.

“I realized the school district had art and music to offer from every educational level and felt that it might be a powerful experience to gather all of that artistic energy in one place and create sort of ‘downtown’ Parkland for a few days,” Stutz said. 

Find out what's happening in South Whitehallwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The high school was already holding its chorus concert and art show on the same day. "That seemed like a great starting point," Stutz said. 

"By adding a Friday night event like the Battle of the Bands, we would make use of the scheduling and the resources," he said.  "And then on Saturday we wanted a real arts festival feel, with music and arts displays and hands-on activities for the students, and food vendors from different clubs who would have a chance to earn some money for their projects as well."

Stutz approached the administration and school board with the proposal. Not only were they encouraging but they also gave space, equipment and staff support.

“It is a project that takes the cooperation of many different Parkland departments," Stutz said.

Admission to the festival is free. It is funded by profits from the high school's weekly coffee house, festival food sales and a basket raffle. Some groups and organizations, including the district’s Parent Teacher Organizations, make donations. The festival also offers a $500 scholarship to a graduating senior who is going on to college to study visual and performing arts.

Held rain or shine, the festival features outdoor activities and an array of indoor and outdoor displays and demonstrations.

An outdoor artist’s marketplace offers a variety of work from craft designers and fine artists from the Lehigh Valley, including watercolor paintings and prints, floral wreaths, hand-crafted jewelry, quilling, tie-dye T-shirts and origami paper dolls.

Arts and crafts stations give youngsters an opportunity to participate in hands-on activities. They’ll be able to "make-and-take" a pinwheel, and do sand art, spin art and 3-D butterflies.

The “Art of Foods,” coordinated by and benefitting various clubs at the high school, will transform the outdoor courtyard into an al fresco food court offering gourmet hot dogs, popcorn, waffles and ice cream and more.  

High school staff created a handmade wardrobe for Barbie that will be raffled off. It includes evening gowns, casual wear and even a Parkland sweat suit.  

The weekend kicks off at 6 p.m. Thursday with a high school art show. A suite of classrooms and hallways will become a gallery, featuring paintings, drawings, ceramics, jewelry, digital art and photography.

At the same time, fest-goers are invited to visit “The Art of Living Family and Consumer Science Show.” Presented in the A-wing and courtyard, the displays and demonstrations express the “art of living” as it relates to the high school’s family and consumer science curriculum, which includes cooking, fashion design, merchandising and wardrobe construction, interior design and creative crafts. Students will offer samples of foods they created, demonstrating their culinary skills and knowledge of nutrition.

Capping off the evening will be the Spring Chorus Concert at 7 p.m.

Fest-goers can take a step back into the ‘50s on Friday with dinner at the Stardust Diner, situated in the auditorium lobby. Modeled after a New York City Restaurant, the traditional diner fare is served by waiters and waitresses ---all members of the high school’s Performing Arts Club --- singing Broadway tunes.

Two seatings, at 5 and 6:30 p.m., are available; tickets, at $8 per person, are required in advance. To view the menu and order tickets, visit here.

Rounding out Friday’s events will be a Battle off the Bands.  Vying for “Best Band” title and bragging rights will be First Friday at 6:30 p.m.; All of the Above, (7 p.m.), The Yo Yo’s, (7:30 p.m.), Paint the Town Careless, (8 p.m.), Benny and the Jets, (8:30 p.m.) and As Cities Fall, (9 p.m.) The winner will be determined by a panel of three judges. Admission is $5; tickets are available at the door.

Saturday’s events start at 10 a.m. and include musical performances in the tent and the indoor rotunda. Performers include the Parkland High School Band, the Indoor Percussion Ensemble, Orefield Middle School Chorus and Jazz Band, Springhouse Middle School Chorus and Jazz Band, the Elementary Chorale, and dance troupe presentations. Closing out the event will be an encore performance by Friday's winner of the Battle of the Bands at 3 p.m. 

Admission to the festival is free. For more information visit Parkland's website.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from South Whitehall