City Art Festival is bigger than ever before

FRIDAY, APR. 20: Hamilton will be alive with cultural events as part of the city’s third annual art festival.

Once again the event has grown and will now include music and entertainment at the various events around the city, not to mention the multitude of artists taking place this year.

This weekend and into next week there will be a mix of art open houses, art walks, restaurants selling local art and discounted meals as well as a self-guided art walk.

Thomas Lightbourne from City of Hamilton which has oganized the event told the Sun: “Each year we look to grow and to make each event better than the last. We have switched the Art in the Park to a Saturday to draw the crowds. There is entertainment throughout the day and a lot more artists involved. For Art in the Dark, City Hall lends itself well to having artists out working on the lawn.”

The four-day event which takes place from Thursday, April 26 to Thursday, May 3, officially opens with an exhibition at Common Grounds Café at 11 Chancery Lane. The collaborative Free-Range and Organic show features nearly 30 artists who were tasked with creating work around the rather local themes of roosters, hens and onions. The concept speaks to Bermuda’s Heritage month of May. Thursday’s show includes work by Libby Cook-Toppan, Anne Kermode, Christopher Grimes and Vaughan Evans and there will be musical entertainment by Tony Bari.

Earlier on in the day, there is a chance to view the breathtaking colour prints of Bermuda from land and air by Rolland Skinner. Members of the public are invited to the special art gallery open house at the Picturesque Gallery at 129 Front Street. There will be wine and hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment by Wayne Davis.

Art in the Park on Saturday in the is bigger than ever — hosted by Nadanja Bailey, there will be live entertainment from the likes of The Kennel Boys, Mike Hind and Bermuda National Drum Line. Artists will be displaying and selling their work including Alexandra Mosher, René Hill, Stephen West and Rhona Emmerson. There will be a live broadcast from 4pm to 5pm by the Bermuda Broadcasting Company.

The festival culminates in the Art in the Dark event on May 3 which follows a happy hour style art opening on the lawn of City Hall. There will be live entertainment by The Working Title throughout the evening, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. To add to the festive atmosphere, there will be artists practising their craft onsite including Kendra Earls, Vernon Clarke and Tricia Waters.

Festival-goers can finish off their cultural experience by dining in participating restaurants that will be highlighting artists’ work throughout May. They will also be offering discounts on meals — the restaurants are Little Venice/L’Oriental; O Bar; Frescos; Barracuda Grill; Port O’ Call and Muse.

Throughout the festival, visitors can enjoy a self-guided walk starting at Wesley Square which starts at Wesley Street home to Chesley Trott’s bronze sculpture When Voices Rise, and ends at the Blue Marlin by Gill Parker outside Harry’s at Waterfront.

For more information about the festival, there will be free booklets available from City Hall from today.