The seventh annual Arts & Jazz Festival will hit the Freeman Stage at Bayside in West Fenwick this weekend, showcasing live jazz performances and local artists.
“It’s a wonderful collaborative day,” said Patti Grimes, executive director of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation. “It is a tradition [for] our programming matrix for the year. One of the aspects of our mission is diversity of art and making sure that all genres are presented.”
The festival is set to begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, with jazz performances by the Joe Baione Sextet at noon, by Cynthia Holiday at 2 p.m. and by K.J. Denhert at 4 p.m.
There will also be 22 visual artists displaying and selling their work, ranging from painters and photographers to jewelrymakers.
Several local artists were selected for the event, including Marcia Cupschalk, who featured her kumihimo (a Japanese form of braiding) jewelry at the Artisans Fair in Ocean View this spring.
The artists will set up their work along the perimeter of the venue’s green, while the jazz artists perform on stage.
“Within the jazz component, we have diversity. Jazz itself is a unique genre, so we love to showcase that,” Grimes noted. “The visual artists love being at the venue because they have the opportunity to enjoy great jazz.”
The event is free for the public, but those attending are being encouraged to bring their own chairs. Food and beverages, as well as beer and wine, will be available for purchase at the Stage Café.
Supporting the event is Delaware by Hand, which is part of the Biggs Museum of American Art.
To volunteer for the event or other events held at the Freeman Stage, call (302) 436-3015 or visit www.freemanstage.org.