Parkland To Host Three-Day Festival of the Arts

Parkland's Festival of the Arts returns May 17-19 to the grounds of the , offering the public a mix of arts and entertainment, including old favorites, such as a '50s inspired dinner theater, and new events, such as a Disney character parade.

The ninth annual festival will also feature food tastings, a Battle of the Bands, an American Girl Doll fashion exhibit, art show and chorus concert.

Here's a schedule of events:

Thursday, May 17:

* Parkland High School Student Art show, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the art suite. Free.

* Family and Consumer Science Art of Living show, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There will be free food tastings and fashion displays, compliments of Family & Consumer Science students.

* Parkland High School Spring Chorus Concert, at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Free.

Friday, May 18:

* The Parkland Stardust Diner, a '50s-inspired dinner theater show, with singing waitresses on roller skates, poodle skirts and comfort food.

There will be two dinner shows, at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. in the Parkland High School auditorium lobby.

Tickets: $8 in advance; $10 at the door. The box office will be open for “Diner” tickets weekdays through May 16 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (This event sold out last year.)    

* Battle of the Bands, with Parkland High School student bands competing for their peers' votes for best high school band.

Competition begins at 6 p.m., in the cafeteria.

Tickets: $5 and will be available at the door.

Saturday, May 19:

* Artists on the Quad, with kiosks on the high school lawn filled with art, food, entertainment and local crafters. Festivities get under way at 10 a.m.  

* The Parkland High School Jazz Band will provide musical entertainment under the Festival tent on the lawn. The auditorium will host local dance schools who will perform recitals throughout the day. There will be performances outside and performances inside the rotunda. Festival-goers will be able to enjoy K-12 artwork displays in the high school's hallways.

* A Disney character parade will be performed by Parkland High School Performing Arts Club students. They will parade around the front of the high school at 2:30 p.m., and throughout the day, there will be photo opportunities for youngsters to have their pictures taken with a Disney character. 

* An American Girl Doll fashion exhibit, with costumes made by Parkland volunteers. The fashions will be offered as prizes at a basket raffle.  The money raised will go towards scholarships for graduating seniors who plan to pursue a career in the arts. 

* The Art and Basket Raffle, along with the Parkland American Girl Doll fashion collection, will be on display Thursday through Saturday during the Festival Events.

Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. Winners will be drawn at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 19.

For more information, visit http://www.parklandsd.org/web/fota/.

Note: Parkland will also hold a bone marrow drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 19, at the festival, for former English teacher John Ritter. Patch brought you  earlier this week: