Cultural Chaos returns to Easthampton with music, art and food
But it will be 'organized chaos' on Saturday, June 14, from noon to 5 p.m. on Cottage Street as part of the 12th Cultural Chaos.
The street festival — organized by Easthampton City Arts (ECA), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary — will feature live music, dance, poetry, performance, visual art, and delicious food. Creative folks from every discipline line the streets to sell their unique wares to visitors.
'Cultural Chaos is a really special event, truly a grassroots local effort and a true integration of arts and culture within our business community. We enjoy and appreciate that this is a labor of love that relies on hundreds of hours contributed by a dedicated group of volunteers, and we appreciate their efforts so much,' said Pasqualina Azzarello, arts and culture program director for Easthampton City Arts.
She noted the festival is a celebration of everyone that makes Easthampton a special place.
'We value the role that arts and culture play in our local economy and the more we can do to bring people together through arts and culture has a direct impact on the health and wellness of local businesses and the local community,' Azzarello said.
Live music at the Prindle Stage at Nashawannuck Pond will feature AfroFusion at 12:15 p.m., Pamela Means Band at 12:45 p.m., Soul Magnets at 2:15 p.m. and Nectar at 3:15 p.m. Nini's Stage at Nini's Ristorante will feature Masala Jazz at noon, Carl Clements & Stephen Page at 1:15 p.m., The Moon Shells at 3:45 p.m., and Ron Smith Soulful Jazz Trio at 3:45 p.m.
Additional live performances include shows at the dance stage curated by Art In Motion, BMX performances presented by Still Services, SHOW Circus Studio's aerial rig and stilt walkers, puppet making and parade by Caravan Puppets, with a special presentation by CLI Conservatory.
For those working up an appetite while strolling the festival, more than 20 vendors will be selling food and refreshments including Amy's Place, Brass Cat, Corsello Butcheria, Crooked Stick Pops, Dry Humor, Galaxy, Gigantic, Local Burger, Love Bird Kitchen, Luthier's Co-op, Mt. Tom's Homemade Ice Cream, Kisara, Nini's Ristorante, Many Layers Cake Shop, Pita Pocket, The Water's Fine, Union Street Bistro, Valley Art Supplies' Beer Garden, Wake the Dead Donuts, and Wonderland's Cotton Candy.
Founded more than 12 years ago — there were no festivals in 2020 and 2021 — Cultural Chaos quickly became a much looked forward to event each year.
Azzarello noted Easthampton was among the first cities in Massachusetts to establish a cultural district.
'One of the state's requirements in establishing a cultural district was to create an annual event that would draw people from across the city and beyond. Cultural Chaos did just that. It was very clear from our first Cultural Chaos, and especially after its two-year absence during COVID, that the street festival had become a beloved touchstone event in Easthampton. When we continued the event in 2022, we had our biggest year ever, and we continue to draw more and more people every year growing to over 12,000 attendees,' she said.
Each year, the event's visioning, planning, and implementation is a team effort between Easthampton City Arts (ECA), Cottage Street Cultural District Subcommittee, local sponsors and more than 100 volunteers.
An initiative of the City of Easthampton to promote arts, culture and community, Easthampton City Arts offers a wide range of art programming and cultural events which serve as platforms for community engagement and economic development. Through monthly events like Art Walk, and annuals festivals like Easthampton Book Fest and Cultural Chaos, ECA supports local artists, musicians and performers while activating the public spaces of downtown Easthampton.
For more information, visit easthamptoncityarts.com or follow @easthamptoncityarts on Instagram.
Read the original article on MassLive.
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