All Pawtucket All The Time

Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart with special guest Kenny Loggins, Perform on September 4 at McCoy Stadium

PAWTUCKET — A performance by Slippery Sneakers Zydeco Band and internationally renowned musician Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble plus food samplings from some of Pawtucket’s finest restaurants will highlight the Aug. 27 “Festival Gala” program, the official kick-off of this year’s 12^th Annual Pawtucket Arts Festival. “Gala Night” takes place from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Historic Slater Mill in Pawtucket.           

            Music critics say that Curley Taylor continues to bring out the crowds at dancehalls throughout the country with his own brand of city-in-the-country zydeco: hot or mellow, fast or slow the music is always in the groove, smooth and polished. 

            “Festival Gala” tickets will cost $10 (for Taste of Pawtucket, YMCA Family Night, and Zydeco performances) and can be purchased in advance at the City Visitor Center or at the gate the night of the event. Children under 10 will be admitted free.  For ticket information call 1-800-454-2882.      

            The entire festival will take place Aug. 5-Sept. 26 at various locations throughout Pawtucket and will be a showcase of performing and visual arts, music, photography, ethnic foods and poetry. Theatre events includes plays by The Gamm Theatre, “Glengarry Glen Ross” (Sept 1), Mixed Magic Theatre, “The Greatness of Gospel: Down by the Riverside III” (Aug. 28 with a rain date on Aug. 29) and the Community Players (Sept 10, 11, 12, 17, 19), and visual arts at Historic Downtown galleries on Sept. 16. 

            This years Pawtucket Film Festival (Aug. 28, 29, Sept. 4, 5, 11, 12), with an admission fee of $10, brings a number of interesting films, combined with live music and a reception.  Attendees will receive an official film festival t-shirt printed by Pawtucket-based Mirror Image.  

            On August 28, the internationally acclaimed Alloy Orchestra performs live accompaniment to the silent film classic Metropolis. The Pawtucket premier brings attendees a re-edited full version of Metropolis. This event takes place in Pawtucket’s gem of a theatre, the 1920’s era auditorium at Tolman High School. All other performances will be in the intimate theatre at the Blackstone Valley Visitor’s Center.

Pawtucket’s Annual Film Festival also brings filmmaker and musician Billy Hinsche who toured with the Beach Boys, to the City’s Visitor Center. He was part of the 60’s Pop group Dino, Desi and Billy and he presents his Beach Boys up close and behind the scenes documentary, “On the Road with the Beach Boys,” following the group’s 1974 Tour.  Other Pawtucket Film Festival highlights include a film distributor Doug Zwick showing music documentary films on Leonard Cohen, Shane MacGowan and Wild Man Fischer.  Producer Chip Hourihan (of Frozen River fame) will show his seldom seen feature Glissando, and the festival will close with Albert Spevak showing his Louis Armstrong documentary which features the musician’s final Newport Jazz Festival tribute.

            Other Pawtucket Arts Festival events, many of which are free, include: the R.I. Dragon Boat Races (Aug. 28); the Slater Mill Labor and Ethnic Heritage Festival (Aug. 29); RI Antiques Mall’s Appraisal Day (Aug. 28) and Dealer Day (Aug. 29); music and poetry of Pulitzer prize winning poet, Pawtucket native Galway Kinnell by Aurea (Sept. 12);  the Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance’s “Pops in the Park” (featuring the Rhode Island Philharmonic) on (Sept. 11), rain date is Sept. 12; and Stone Soup Folk Fest and the Arts Fest 2010 featuring over 60 art vendors on (Sept. 11-12), Rocktucket, a block party in historic downtown Pawtucket (Sept. 25), Artist Open Studios on (Sept. 25-26) and Pawtucket: A City in Focus Photo Contest from (Aug. 27-Sept. 30).

            Children oriented events include the Pawtucket YMCA’s “Family Fun Night” on Aug. 27 and the Pawtucket Boys and Girls Club, “Days for Kids Festival & Arts Day” on Sept. 11.

            Pre-festival events include plays brought to you by Mixed Magic Theatre (“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Night Voices”) Aug. 5-8 and the Assumption Church’s 83^rd Annual Greek Festival are slated for August 20-22.

            “Given the severe economic downturn, where else can you bring your family and friends for a great time for free or at a very small cost?  Pawtucket is the place “said state Rep. Peter F. Kilmartin (D.-District 16).  He and his wife, Kristine, are serving as the festival’s honorary co-chairs.

            “This year we ratcheted up the entertainment and added many new events including a Gallery Night, and musical events at the newly opened The Met located at Hope Artiste Village.  As in previous years, musical and artistic programming is family-friendly and geared for all age groups,” Kilmartin added. 

            “There are literally dozens of fun and interesting events throughout the month-long festival,” noted Herb Weiss, Pawtucket’s economic and cultural affairs officer who serves as the chairperson of this year’s festival. “The main events will take place at highly convenient locations, with free parking, at McCoy Stadium, the Assumption Church, the Blackstone Valley Visitors Center, Pawtucket’s historic downtown area, Slater Memorial Park and the School Street Pier, and at Slater Mill,” he added.

            Weiss stated that over 200 local businesses sponsor the festival and are vital to its success. He particularly cited major media sponsors WPRI/CBS 12, WNAC/Fox Providence, Clear Channel Communications, WSNE-FM/WHJY-FM, Cox Media/Cox Communications and the Pawtucket Times/Neighbors; principal sponsors such as the Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance, the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council and the Taiwan Visitor Assoc.; and other major sponsors include the Hasbro, Hope Artiste Village, Webster Bank, Bank of America, Citizens Bank, and Schofield Printing, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Affairs Office.

            Nonperishable will be food collected at Pawtucket Arts Festival events to benefit the Pawtucket Soup Kitchen.  Please go to our website for details.

            A complete listing of all festival events, locations, times and sponsors is available at www.pawtucketartsfestival.org or by calling the Pawtucket Arts Festival, Program Coordinator, Diane Agostini, at 724-5200.