New Rochelle ArtsFest

If you are looking for a fun and interesting event to go to this month, head on over to New Rochelle! From October 17 to October 20, the New Rochelle Council on the Arts will be holding their annual ArtsFest. This is an event that started in 2009 and has since become a fall tradition. The event celebrates the arts in New Rochelle and Pelham with art exhibits, open artists’ studios, live music and dance, spoken word, a maker’s market, a classic car show, and many other things. In this blog post, I will be discussing all the things you can do at this event on all four days in hopes that it might interest you enough to want to go. 

There are five activities at this event that you can do all weekend. The first activity is open artists’ studios, which is where local artists will be opening their studios to the public. The second activity is Songcatchers Community Music Pop-Up, which is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable access to high quality music education and enrichment for children and families, which will be at several outdoor locations in New Rochelle. The third activity is a self-guided tour of the New Rochelle Walk of Fame, which was installed in 2011 as a tribute to some of the notable residents throughout the city’s history. The fourth activity is a self-guided tour of the NRNY Murals, which make a statement about New Rochelle as a diverse city where art plays a pivotal role. The last activity is a Self-Guided Children’s Story Trail, which features 19 stops in both English and Spanish.

On the first day of the event, there will be a total of 11 activities you can do throughout the day. The first activity is an art exhibit at the coffee shop Cafetero. The next activity is an exhibition from students at the Pelham Art Center. The next activity is at the Rotunda Gallery, and it is a display of art from artists that live in New Rochelle and lower Westchester. The next activity is The New Rochelle Art Association’s 109th juried open show, which consists of artwork in nine categories, which are acrylic/oils, graphics, fine crafts, sculpture, photography, watercolor, mixed media, digital art, and pastels. The next activity is called “Undersea Whimsy: Imaginative Creatures from the Deep,” which are underwater illustrations from artist Erwin Ong. The next activity is called “No Limits,” which features 2D and 3D works from member artists. The next activity is called “Love Your Mother,” which is from artist Jennie Thwing and explores the ties between motherhood and mother nature. The next activity is a concert from vocalist, composer, and host of Real Jazz on SiriusXM Andromeda Turre. The next activity is live music from a singer named Ian Young that is described as classic and iconic songs reimagined. The next activity is a production of “Urinetown: The Musical” from The Iona Players at the Iona University Murphy Auditorium. The last activity on this day is an acoustic blues and R&B performance from a singer named Isa Blues.

On the second day of the event, there will be a total of 15 activities that you can do all day. As several of them are repeats from the previous day, I will only be mentioning the activities that are not repeats. The first activity is the Susan Susskind Studio, which showcases mugs with original artwork. The next activity is an exhibition from an artist named James Stamboni that is called “Brief Lives,” which delves into the ephemeral nature of existence. The next activity is a centennial tribute to jazz legend Sarah Vaughan from singer Barbara King. The next activity is a series of paintings that are on display at the museum located in New Rochelle High School. The next activity is a staged reading at New Rochelle High School of a story called “Face Forward: Growing up in Nazi Germany.” The next activity is called The MOTH StorySLAM, and it is an open-mic storytelling competition in which anyone can sign up to share a five-minute story on the theme of hope. The next activity is called “The Haunt,” and is described as an immersive Halloween experience that contains a doctor’s forgotten laboratory, a restless graveyard, a haunted corn maze, and Wildcliff Mansion, which contains many scary things inside of it. The next activity is a performance from jazz pianist Dinah Vero. The last activity on this day is an open mic at Jolo’s Vegan Food Bar and Lounge, which will have singers, musicians, dancers, poets, spoken word, and comedy. 

On the third day of the event, there will be a total of 36 activities that you can do all day. As many of these are repeats as well and there is a large number of activities, I will only be mentioning some of the new activities. The first activity is at the Erika Hibbert Studio, where you can see completed and in progress artwork. The next activity is Art in the Garden, where works by selected artists from the New Rochelle Art Association will be on display and for sale in a private garden. The next activity is at Fran Sisco Studio, and it is called “Literary + Visual + Performance Art,” and it’s described as performances of poetry, songs, and excerpts from original plays. The next activity is a classic car show. The next activity is at a place called Highbrook Studio, which has four floors of working artists’ studios as well as works for sale. The next activity is the 5th Annual Makers Market, which will have art, music, food, dance, and much more. The next activity is a pop-up performance from New Rochelle PAVE and Art students. The next activity is an exhibit from famous pop artist Charles Fazzino located in his own studio. The next activity is a trolley tour of New Rochelle’s murals. The next activity is an open studio showing works from an artist named Marie Hines Cowan, who is an oil painter with a focus on mythology and colloquial culture. The next activity is an open studio showing works from an artist named Naomi Grossman, who makes wire figurative sculptures with words embedded in their skin. The next activity is an open studio with an exhibit from artist and photographer Ann Marie DeLuca. The next activity is the ArtsFest Film Festival, which will feature 13 films from aspiring film makers. The next activity is called Acupuncture Unlimited, which will feature Zen painting, visiting authors, storytelling, music, and spoken word from the African diaspora. The next activity is two original works from Tutti Bravi, which are called “Spirits & Souls” and “Cry of the Children.” The next activity is Empty Hand Zen Center, which consists of meditation and Japanese inspired art activities. The next activity is called LEGO Library Architects, which is at the Huguenot Children’s Library, and is where kids can build a replica of the library with Legos or create their own library with Legos and Duplos. The next activity is a sneak peek from the SOOP Theatre Company production of “Chicago Teen Edition.” The next activity is the ArtsFest Dance Festival, which will feature dance performances from professional companies and local schools. The next activity is called Shake, Rattle and Roll Music, and is described as an interactive music program that will get everybody dancing with songs in different languages, and kids are encouraged to bring their own percussion instruments. The next activity is a performance from a singer and musician named Jerome Hughes. The next activity is a performance from a saxophonist named Alexander McCabe and his friends who are a guitarist and a bassist, and they will be performing Southern and Caribbean favorites. The last activity is at a place called 18th Ward Brewing Taproom and will consist of performances from local singer songwriters Garry Novikoff, Florid, and Anita Rein.

On the final day of the event, there will be a total of 22 activities that you can do all day. As many of them are also repeats, I will only be mentioning the activities that are not repeats. The first activity is a pumpkin patch, where kids can also select and paint a pumpkin, go on a skeleton scavenger hunt, and have a guided tour of a less-scary daytime version of The Haunt at Wildcliff Mansion. The next activity is the Fall Open House at the JCC, which will have arts and crafts, dance, live music, visual arts exhibitions, fitness, fun activities, and food vendors. The next activity is the studio of artist Barry Mason, which will be open for the public to stop by, tour, and view artworks. The next activity is the studio of artist Emlyn Tavares, which will be open for tours, and artworks there will be exhibited and available for sale. The next activity is a story trail at Ward Acres Conservancy that features the story “A Good Place” and has 19 stops in both English and Spanish. The next activity is the Queen City of the Sound International Jazz Festival. The next activity is a bilingual puppet show called “Adventures in the Andes.” The next activity is one that is targeted towards kids where they can make their own llama balloons using balloons, crepe paper, and stickers. The final activity of the weekend is going to be Jazz Tea with the Julie Lyon Quintet. 

Overall, there are many fun activities to enjoy all next weekend. So, head over to New Rochelle and go see some amazing art and performances!