Arts
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Gilbert Folk Festival returning after two-year hiatus BY NOAH FRIEDMAN
Following a two-year break, the Gilbert Folk Festival will be making a homecoming to the Heritage District from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20. The Gilbert Folk Festival is one of five of its kind to be held annually in Arizona. The community get-together went on hiatus due to a lack of benefactors and venues. “In addition to our title sponsors, Cholewka Law and Heritage Financial, we had to enlist the cooperation of downtown merchants and business for stage locations,” said Robert Zucker, the festival’s founder and manager of the Higley Center for the Performing Arts. “We have accomplished that task.” Although the Gilbert Folk Festival hasn’t taken place since February 2014, Zucker said that not much about the program would change. “As this is our first year operating under new leadership, we have simply added one additional music location and a workshop location to our schedule,” Zucker said. He added that a large group of volunteers from local schools would help get
around downtown Gilbert. A unique aspect of this particular celebration is that it features multiple stages throughout the town, so visitors will be entertained throughout the day. “We have more than 70 live music acts on six stages throughout downtown Gilbert as well as music workshops,” said Becky Cholewka, the founding attorney at Cholewka Law. “There are plenty of choices for everyone in the family within walking distance.” Musician Jim Pipkin will be performing on the stage at Bergies Coffee Roast House at 1 p.m. He said that the Gilbert Folk Festival is laid back compared to some of the other places he has played. “[There is] no gate fee, no fences between the performers and the audience. [It is] very informal and relaxed. Much more peaceful,” Pipkin said. After seeing the successes of the Gilbert Folk Festival, Cholewka said that sponsoring the festival would give back to the community. According to the official Facebook page, the social gathering will be guaranteed in Gilbert for at least two years. The
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More than 25 artists represented at free show date for the 2017 Gilbert Folk Festival is set for Saturday, Feb.18. Pipkin explained that this event is a great way for people to come together without the hassle of taking a trip far away to see skilled artists. “I think this is a very important event for Gilbert, and for the East Valley,” Pipkin said. “There are some seriously talented songwriters and performers living here, and this festival allows local residents the opportunity to experience them without driving to another part of the state, or even other parts of the country, or staying up late to catch a club date with a cover charge.” To listen to Jim Pipkin’s music, go to www.cdbaby.com and search “Jim Pipkin”.
Art in the Olive Grove is being held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Queen Creek Olive Mill, 25062 S. Meridian Rd., Queen Creek. More than 25 members of the Artists of the Superstitions will have their paintings, photography, jewelry, woodworking and gourd creations on display to purchase. In addition to entertainment and wine tasting in the parklike setting, tours of the Olive Mill will be offered for a fee. The Olive Mill has local finely crafted olive oil for sale in their gift shop plus, coffee, pizza and sandwiches. The Artists of the Superstitions is a juried art group of award-winning artists from Apache Junction and Gold Canyon and was formed in 2007. AOTS sponsors five fine art shows every year, including the popular Studio Art Tour in November. Admission to the show is free. Info: www.artistsofthesuperstitions.com.