Second Redlands Festival of Arts Set for Memorial Day weekend

After a successful inaugural arts festival last year that attracted more than 7,000 persons, the Redlands Festival of Arts will again be staged over Memorial Day weekend in Smiley Park in Redlands. More than 120 artists are expected to exhibit their artwork and offer it for sale. In addition, the festival will include music, dance, children’s art activities, food trucks, a wine and beer garden, and a variety of arts-related activities. “Many of the artists are from Redlands and the area and were recruited by the Redlands Art Association,” said Shirley Harry, who is co-chairing the event along with former Redlands City Council member Jerry Bean. “But more than 40 are from nearby states and from throughout California.” Fifty-two of the artists will be competing in a juried competition that offers $6,000 in prizes, Harry said. The festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25, in Smiley Park in the area near Old City Hall (the Police Annex) to behind A.K. Smiley Public Library through the area near the Redlands Bowl. Bean said admission to all events will be free, although patrons may donate to the festival if they wish. The event is sponsored by a 16-person committee headed by Harry and Bean with the cooperation of the Redlands Art Association, the Redlands Cultural Arts Commission, and the San Bernardino County Arts Connection. To help finance the festival, several businesses and organizations have bought sponsorships including Maupin Financial Services, Cutler Church Insurance Services, Beaver Medical Group, Century 21 Lois Lauer Realty, the Law Offices of Mirau, Edwards, Cannon, Lewin & Tooke, Rotary Club of Redlands, and Sunrise Rotary Club. Businesses wishing to be a financial sponsor should contact Bean or Harry. The Art Association has moved the date of its annual Art in the Park show to be a part of the festival and has been active on the festival planning committee. The Art Association is also responsible for the Kids’ Zone art activities that will be in the Children’s Garden of Smiley Library. After the success of last year’s Kids’ Zone, hours have been expanded to 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Children of all ages are invited accompanied by at least one parent. All needed art materials will be provided by the Art Association. The library staff will be mounting an exhibit of rarely seen artwork from the library archives. The exhibit will be in the library Assembly Room, which is accessible from the park. The Lincoln Shrine will also be open during festival hours. A Food Truck Midway will be available on the Contemporary Club parking lot with a Beer and Wine Garden extending into the park next to the Shrine. There will be no charge to enter the fenced area. Families with children may enter the area, but only those with proof of age 21 and older may purchase or consume beer and wine. The Festival Stage will be next to the Wine and Beer Garden and will features two two-hour concerts as well as several shorter acts. From 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, local surf rock group The Tornadoes will perform, including their hits from the 1960s and 70s such as “Bustin’ Surfboards.” The Tornadoes have been honored with induction into the Surf Music Hall of Fame and perform regularly in the Inland Empire. On Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m., Broadway Block Party will be presented on the Festival Stage. Local actor/musician/composer Dustin Ceithamer and his company will offer a review of Broadway hits from over the years complete with audience participation in some of the numbers. Broadway Block Party is underwritten by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation to the Redlands Community Music Association. Other acts will perform during the day starting at 11 a.m. including music from this year’s Redlands Bowl summer musical “Hairspray,” big band sounds, funk, rock, jazz, barbershop music, dance lessons, and a ballroom dance exhibition.