A group of St. John visual and performing artists are planning an inaugural St. John Arts Festival for the last week of February 2001, running concurrently with the National Park Folk Life Festival.
At a Rotary club meeting last week, Frank Langley, lead organizer of what is planned to be an annual event, said, "The festival will be a celebration of the arts in all its forms and origins for the spiritual enrichment of the people of St. John, adults and particularly children, together with its island neighbors and visitors."
Langley, who spearheaded a similar festival for the town of Russell, New Zealand, some years ago, and a small working grouip of local artists have been developing a program for the St. John Arts Festival over the past several months.
According to Langley, the festival is in the process of becoming the St. John Arts Festival, Inc., a nonprofit organization, with proceeds helping young people to further their artistic gifts as well as address other pressing community needs.
"The goal is for a multicultural, broad-range program of performing and visual arts providing traditional, modern and classical events for adults and children," Langley told Rotarians.
The weeklong festival is structured to provide a series of lunchtime concerts daily in Cruz Bay Park together with multi-ethnic food fairs, children's programs in the afternoon and adult performances nightly.
The festival is slated to begin Saturday, Feb. 17 as the "Welcoming Day' ceremony commences with a grand opening followed by traditional West Indian music and a West Indian Food Fair. The following day will feature island-wide church and school choirs followed by an historical play and film in the evening.
The lunchtime concerts will provide a wide variety of music ranging from brass bands, jazz, steel orchestras, to scratch bands. Children's programs occurring in the afternoon daily will provide workshops for their involvement and encouragement in various artforms.
The evening events will include traditional, modern and classical performances with both local and limited off-island groups performing.
Venues include Cruz Bay Park Bandstand, St. John School of the Arts, Cruz Bay Churches, Caneel Bay Resort, Westin Resort, Gallows Point Suite Resort, Cinnamon Bay Campgrounds, Oppenheimer Beach; and in Coral Bay, the Old Bay Rum Distillery, Ball Park, Skinny Legs Restaurant, Shipwreck Landing, and the Moravian Church.
"In fact", Langley said, " a proliferation of the festival spirit throughout the island also will include art galleries, stores, restaurants and banks. Some events in Coral Bay will mirror those in Cruz Bay."
The festival working group is currently firming up the program and financing, and signing up event managers and sponsors. Those interested in participating should contact Langley at 779-4038 or Kim Wild, 693-9214.
