Feb. 12, 2002 – As anyone who's been in or around Cruz Bay Park at noontime for the last week has probably noticed, the second annual St. John Arts Festival is under way.
The Lunchtime Concert Series presented performances by the Merry Makers, Inner Vision, the Territorial Court Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra, a mini-festival of church choirs and the V.I. National Guard's 73rd Army Band (formerly known as the 666th) from the opening last Thursday through Monday.
Other attractions have included food and arts and crafts fairs in the park, young people's performance events at the St. John School of the Arts, live music in the evening at dining spots around the island, a series of meet-the-artist evenings at galleries, and an exhibition of paintings, sculpture, jewelry and woodworking by The Artists' Association of St. John. The art show, which ran from Thursday through Monday at the Westin Resort, featured work by dozens of local artists.
The schedule included a fish fry in Cruz Bay Park Saturday evening with more music by the Merry Makers scratch band, and a Hispanic guitar and poetry program Sunday evening at Nazareth Lutheran Church. Tuesday evening, the Plata de Mexico ("Mexican Silver") mariachi band strolled from restaurant to restaurant serenading in Cruz Bay.
Some of the programing is being produced by St. John Arts Festival Inc., the not-for-profit organization founded last year by island winter resident Frank Langley to present the first arts fest. But much of it — a jam-packed four pages full in small type in the festival program booklet — is simply a matter of tapping into what is already there and showcasing it beneath an encompassing umbrella: arts, crafts and food vendors always happy to find customers, restaurants and lounges that regularly offer live music, galleries glad to stay open after hours to entice shoppers, the School of the Arts where youngsters get a grounding year-round in music, dance, theater and more.
Also coopted into the festival program are Wednesday night's recital by the Ahn Trio at the School of the Arts, a part of its season concert series, and the first weekend of performances of William Inge's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "Picnic" by St. John's Epiphany Theater Company.
Langley, president of the festival organization, writes in the program booklet that the project is the work of "paid professional performers and accounting staff and voluntary, unpaid enthusiasts 'making it happen.'" Festival proceeds are "to fund scholarships for children who show exceptional talent in the arts," he states.
Still to come, according to the published program:
Wednesday
Children's ballet, School of the Arts, 4-6 p.m.
Gallery meet-the-artist receptions, Coconut Coast Studio and Lorelei, 5:30-8 p.m.
Music by Danny Silber (keyboard/guitar) 7-10 p.m. at La Tapa, James (guitar/vocals) 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. at the Beach Bar, and Inner Vision (reggae band) 9 p.m.-1 a.m. at Fred's, all in Cruz Bay; and by Marty Beechler (keyboard/vocals) 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Voyages and E Blues (electric blues) 8-11 p.m. at Shipwreck in Coral Bay.
Thursday
Recital by the Ahn Trio, 8 p.m., St. John School of the Arts (tickets $30, students $25).
Music by James (guitar/vocals) 6-9 p.m. at Banana Deck, Argentine traditional music 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Morgan's Mango, Harvey Werbel and Henry Powell (keyboards/jazz vocals) 7-10 p.m. at La Tapa, and T-Bird (guitar/vocals) 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. at the Beach Bar, all in Cruz Bay; and by Chris Carsel (blues) 7-10 p.m. at Island Blues and Sambacombo (tropical jazz) 7-11 p.m. at Voyages in Coral Bay.
Friday
"Picnic" presented by Epiphany Theater Company, 7:30 p.m. at the Marketplace (tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door).
Gallery meet-the-artist reception, Syzygy (by Skinny Legs in Coral Bay) 6-7 p.m.
Music by Chris Carsel (country/blues) 6-9 p.m. at Tamarind Inn, Cool Session (soca/reggae) 9 p.m.-1 a.m. at Fred's, and E Blues (electric blues) 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. at the Beach Bar, all in Cruz Bay; and by T-Bird (guitar/vocals) 7-10 p.m. at Island Blues in Coral Bay; and Argentine traditional music 8-10:30 p.m. at Caneel Bay Resort.
Saturday
"Picnic" presented by Epiphany Theater Company, 7:30 p.m. at the Marketplace (tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door).
Music by T-Bird (guitar/vocals) 6-9 p.m. at Banana Deck, James (guitar/vocals) 9 p.m.-midnight at the Beach Bar and Hatch (rock) 11:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. at the Front Yard, all in Cruz Bay; and by Chris Carsel (country/blues) 7-10 p.m. at Skinny Legs and Kate Danvers (jazz vocals) 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Miss Lucy's in Coral Bay.
Sunday
"Picnic" presented by Epiphany Theater Company, 7:30 p.m. at the Marketplace (tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door).
Music by Greta Rose (jazz vocals) 7-10 p.m. at the Banana Deck in Cruz Bay; by Chris Carsel (blues) 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Maho Bay Campground; and Ted's Blues Jam (blues) 7-10 p.m. at Island Blues and the Eddie Bruce Trio (jazz) 7-10 p.m. at Shipwreck in Coral Bay.