2014 Salem Arts Festival to be Held June 6-8

The sixth annual Salem Arts Festival will be held June 6th- 8th.  The popular free event will feature over 60 artists and performers and includes a variety of art, music, dance, and poetry performances. The family-friendly event also includes art-making for all ages, artisan vendors selling their creations, and a public art installation.

"There's been a tremendous amount of collaboration between so many local groups and individuals to make this year's festival the best yet," says Kylie Sullivan, Manager of Salem Main Streets (SMS), the community non-profit organization which started the Festival.
 
The Festival is spread out at a variety of venues in downtown Salem, with the focus primarily on Old Town Hall, Derby Square, Front Street, and Artists' Row.  A Juried Art Show will be held in Old Town Hall throughout the festival. Live performances this year will be held outside (weather permitting) on Derby Square and Artists' Row.  The event is rain or shine, with a rain location for performances held upstairs at Old Town Hall and on Artists' Row.  Full schedule and programs will be available on site and on the Festival website. 

The Festival kicks off with an opening reception at Salem's Old Town Hall on Friday, June 6th at 6 p.m.  The free event allows visitors to enjoy beautiful art work while being entertained by renowned local musicians Molly Pinto Madigan and headliner Lois Lane and the Daily Planets.

One of the most anticipated events this year is the "HulaArt" public art installation on Artists' Row utilizing hula hoops decorated by the community, organized in collaboration with the Salem Public Space Project and The Phoenix School. Also for the first time this year, Front Street will be closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday and Sunday to allow for increased art-making activities and business participation.  

The goal of the Salem Arts Festival is to promote all the arts in Salem and to provide the entire North Shore arts community an opportunity to showcase their talents. The Festival is run in collaboration with Salem Main Streets by a team of dedicated volunteers, including representatives from the Salem Arts Association, Salem State University, and many more.

Volunteers interested in helping with the Festival are warmly welcomed and encouraged to contact Kylie Sullivan at kylie@salemmainstreets.org for more information. 

Visitors interested in attending the Salem Arts Festival can find easy access to the downtown by public transportation or parking at one of the many downtown lots in the City. For more information, please visit salemartsfestival.com.