DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival celebrates its 36th year as Iowa's oldest all arts festival held in the heart of historic downtown Dubuque, May 17-19. Under the direction of collaborative partners, musician and promoter Aaron Hefel, and arts administrator Paula Neuhaus, the weekend is packed full of free music, art, and culture for all ages. The Dubuque County Fine Arts Society, a non-profit arts organization, launched the multi-faceted all arts festival in 1977 to promote the arts and to revitalize the downtown area by community building through arts and culture development. After 36 years of success DubuqueFest honors great traditions and adds contemporary twists.
The weekend features a fine art fair, a vinyl record fair, a local author book fair, live music and performance on two stages, children's hands-on art activities, an Old House Tour by the Old Home Enthusiasts, a book release and reading by the Dubuque Area Writers Guild, a community chalk mural project, pottery demonstrations, and featuring artist Tim Olson's community photography project, "The World's Longest Panoramic Portrait of a Three Day Outdoor Arts Festival."
All events are free and open to the public. (The Old House Tour is a ticketed event.) Here are some highlights of what the weekend offers. For a full schedule of events visit www.dubuquefest.org.
DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival Event Calendar May 17-19, 2013 Town Clock Plaza & Washington Park in Downtown Dubuque
Please note: All DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival events are free and open to the public. The Annual Old House Enthusiasts Tour is off-site from the festival and is a separate ticketed event hosted by the Old House Enthusiasts in conjunction with DubuqueFest.
Fine Art Fair
Saturday, 10am-5pm & Sunday, 10am-4pm in Washington Park
Our juried fine art fair in Washington Park features the work of 70 artists & artisans. We invite you to meet the artists, learn about process & inspiration, and invest in original hand crafted pieces. Shop for hand-blown & fused glass, ceramics, metal work, free form sculpture, painting, jewelry, fiber, fabric, photography, mixed media, textiles, copper work, hand turned wood, watercolors, leather work, wearable art, & more! It's an art gallery in the park!
Wheel Thrown Pottery Demonstrations by Mississippi Mud Studios
Saturday, 10am-5pm & Sunday, 10am-4pm in Washington Park
Potter Gary Carstens and friends of Mississippi Mud Studios offer wheel-thrown pottery demonstrations. You can try too!
"The World's Longest Panoramic Portrait of a Three Day Outdoor Arts Festival" with artist Tim Olson
Saturday, 10am-5pm & Sunday, 10am-4pm throughout Washington Park
You're invited to find Tim & his old-timey camera during the fest & pose for this panoramic portrait! Photographer and artist Tim Olson will use a 1935 vintage studio camera to create a hundred foot long portrait of DubuqueFest. During the festival, Olson will roll his camera along a path that winds through Washington Park and, at intervals of approximately ten minutes in time and ten feet in distance, he will stop and make a single exposure. The 250+ photographs will be stitched together to create a single, highly detailed panoramic portrait of the festival. Look for Tim & his camera during the festival and join him to pose for the portrait! This project is made possible by funding from the Iowa Arts Council.
Children's Creation Station
Saturday, 10am-5pm & Sunday, 10am-4pm in Washington Park
Parents and children are invited to get creative with hands-on projects. This year we feature the art of sand painting. Sand paintings have a long established cultural history in numerous social groupings around the globe. Get your face painted and join us in the Story Bubble for storytelling for all ages! Story Bubble is made possible by a partnership with Great Midwestern Educational Theatre Company.
Community Chalk Collaborative Illustration
Saturday, 11am-2pm in the Town Clock Plaza
Join artists and volunteers as they lead you in creating an illustration that explores community creativity. This sidewalk mural invites everyone to be an artist!
Trainwreck Productions Sketches in the Park: Taming of the Shrew
Saturday & Sunday, 12 pm in Washington Park
Trainwreck Productions bring a scene from William Shakespeare's comedy Taming of the Shrew, full of physical comedy and stage combat, to life in Washington Park. TWP bring this highlight of their comedy set at Flora Park Playground to DubuqueFest. See the entire play (free!) at Flora Park all weekend. Visit TrainwreckProductions.org for full details.
Dubuque Area Writers Guild Annual Book Release Reception Gallery 2013: "Facets of Time"
Friday, 6pm at Dubuque Museum of Art
The Dubuque Area Writers Guild invites you to the reading & release reception for Gallery: Facets of Time, an anthology of original work featuring local writers and artists. Celebrate an evening of words, refreshments, and readings by selected contributors. Books will be available for purchase at the reception, the local author book fair in the Roshek Building on Saturday, and at the art fair information booth in Washington Park throughout the weekend.
Record Fair
Saturday, 10am-5pm in Roshek Building Lobby (Enter on 7th Street)
The Record Fair will showcase local retailers and private collectors offering vinyl records & 45s for sale or trade. Vendors will offer everything from high-end, out-of-print rarities, to more common titles at bargain prices. The fair will slant heavily toward vinyl sales and awareness of the record stores in the region, but vendors will offer CDs, cassettes, DVDs, books, apparel and many other goodies.
Local Author Book Fair
Saturday, 10am-5 pm in Roshek Building Lobby (Enter on 7 th Street)
Our newest addition to DubuqueFest! Shop our book fair comprised of 20 local authors. Meet the authors, pick up some new books, get them signed, and learn about the writing life from your favorite local authors. The fair is features books for children, photography, fiction, non-fiction, memoir, poetry, humor, comic books, and more! This event is hosted by River Lights Bookstore for DubuqueFest.
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival's "Best of Fest Screening"
Sunday, 12pm-3pm, Dubuque Museum of Art
Julien International Film Festival presents a "Best of Fest Screening featuring a favorite or two from their 2013 film festival. Special guest filmmakers will talk about their experiences working on the films and the film festival.
Amusements for Children by LT Amusements
Saturday & Sunday 10am-4pm
7th Street & Washington Park
Climbing wall, bouncing castle, super slide, and more!
HEADLING ACTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED
Friday May 17 - Town Clock Stage
5:00 pm
River Glen - Folk and bluegrass meet contemporary rock and urban styles.
6:30 pm
The Fast Clydes -Class rockabilly, pompadours and all, will get your toes tapping and your hips twisting.
8 pm
Soulsa! - Dubuque's hottest Salsa orchestra will get your dancing with Latin rhythms straight from the soul.
Saturday May 18 - Town Clock Stage
10 am
Northeast Iowa School of Music Recital - Instrumental ensemble performs on the Main Stage.
12 pm
Dubuque Senior High Jazz Studio - Your favorite jazz renditions from the DSHS jazz band.
3:30pm
Unstrung Heroes - Folk songs about Dubuque and life in a river town.
5:30pm
The Shams Band - Bluegrass, folk, and rock playfully brought together by this Chicago outfit.
7:30pm
Maps and Atlases - At times hyper and kinetic, other times, lush and melodic indie rock from Chicago on Barsuk Records.
9 pm
The Heavenly States - This Oakland to Austin indie pop group have been a Dubuque favorite for years. Their brand of intensely fun and personal music filled with loud guitars, driving rhythms, and violin will get you dancing!
Saturday May 18 - Washington Park Gazebo
11 am
Dubuque Fiddlers - Youth string ensemble under the direction of Ann Duchow.
12pm
Trainwreck Productions - This local found-space theatre group bring a scene from William Shakespeare's comedy Taming of the Shrew, full of physical comedy and stage combat, to life in Washington Park.
12:30pm
Peter Fraterdeus - Traditional folk and Irish tunes from our local troubadour.
2pm
Nate Jenkins - Indie folk originals and covers with soulful intensity.
3 pm
Julien Chamber Choir - Indie folk originals and covers with soulful intensity.- Local chamber choir singing in perfect harmony!
Sunday May 19 - Town Clock Stage
10 am
Dubuque Dance Studio - High-energy modern dance performance from Dubuque's premier youth ensemble
12 pm
Dubuque YM/YWCA Dance Team
The talented young people from the Y Dance Team show off their skills!
12:30 pm
PanrhythmiX - Steel drum youth ensemble celebrate the sounds of the Caribbean.
2 pm
Youth Musical Showcase, hosted by Mary Mabusth
Area teens take their bands and talents to the stage! Everyone wins in a showcase!
Sunday, May 19- Washington Park Gazebo
12 pm
Trainwreck Productions Sketches in the Park: Taming of the Shrew
Trainwreck Productions bring a scene from William Shakespeare's comedy Taming of the Shrew, full of physical comedy and stage combat, to life in Washington Park. TWP bring this highlight of their comedy set at Flora Park Playground to DubuqueFest. See the entire play (free!) at Flora Park all weekend. Visit TrainwreckProductions.org for full details.
12:30 pm
Peter Fraterdeus & Dan Caraway: Celtic music on guitar and violin.
2 pm
Denny Garcia
Bluesy troubadour sings about about life on the road and the river.
3:30 pm
Dubuque Chorale
Voices, voices, and more voices!
Visit www.dubuquefest.org to stay up to date!
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