Art, music, performances abound this weekend

Organizers have been busy planning for the 2007 Festival of the Arts, and this year’s two day, family-friendly event boasts an exciting line-up. The event is the largest arts festival in Fayette County and brings together south side artists, performers, master craftsmen, sculptors and arts organizations.

The festival, scheduled for April 28 and 29 at the Fayette Family YMCA in Fayetteville, is designed to showcase the many arts and arts related organizations in the surrounding area and is jointly sponsored by the Endowment Committee for the Cultural Arts of Fayette County and the Fayette Family YMCA.

This is the festival’s second year, and according to chairman Andre De Lorenzo the event will be bigger and better than last year.

“It will far exceed the number of participants in last year’s festival! We are anticipating large crowds and have arranged for ample parking and shuttle service to the festival site,” stated De Lorenzo.

Visitors can expect to see live entertainment every 30 minutes presented by individuals and groups including: Southern Nights Chorale, Jerry Yates, Ryan Academy of Irish Dance, Claudia Robinson, Counterpane School Improv Troupe, Peachtree Wind Ensemble, Peach Pickers Mountain Dulcimers, Carole Marsh, Krysta Nick, Fayette-Coweta Family Theatre, Iris Kelly, Twilight Theatre, Fyre, The Company, and Offshoot Productions’ “Fairy Tale Project.”

On hand to introduce the performers will be Master of Ceremonies Keith Sharp. Sharp hosted and sang at Fayette Idol last year as well as Miss Pride of Fayette County and hosted and sang at Miss Pride again this year.

Also on hand at the event will be exhibits from arts organizations. There will be children's activities including several inflated bounce attractions, supervised archery and canoe rides on the YMCA lake.

The Arts Clayton Arts van will be on hand providing luau craft projects for children to complete and take home.

The festival also will host two art competitions: A juried art show and sale of works by some of the areas most outstanding artists and a student art show sponsored by the Peachtree City Rotary Club.

A full scale production of “The Legend of Pocahontas” will be presented by A Company of Friends, Fayette Coweta Family Theatre’s professional troupe.

This 55-minute musical has toured throughout Georgia and played to thousands of school children in the last two months and concludes its run at the Arts Festival with six performances staged in the newly renovated YMCA Lodge House Blackbox Theater at 215 Huiet Road in Fayetteville. Shows on Saturday, April 28 will be at 11 a.m., 2 and 6 p.m. Performances on Sunday, April 29 will be at 2 and 5 p.m. Seating is limited and the house opens for general seating 30-minutes prior to each show. Tickets for the production are $7.50 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Discount coupons for the production will be available at the Southside Arts Agenda’s booth.

Twelve cast members will take audiences on an adventurous journey filled with humor, friendship, and acceptance.

The cast of “The Legend of Pocahontas” is made up of theater professionals who have extensive backgrounds in onstage performing and children's theatre. Members range in age from eight years to mature adults. ACOF productions have been part of the prestigious Spivey Hall Children's Performance Series for the last three years.

Admission and parking for the 2007 Festival of the Arts are free. The festival will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. each day.

Don’t miss out on the largest arts festival in Fayette County.

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