As the Pawtucket Arts Festival enters its eighth year, legendary performer Bob Dylan will open the event with a concert at Pawtucket's McCoy Stadium. But the event just starts with the concert -- there's three weeks of events and fun planned for visitors to Pawtucket, from dragon boats to theater, bound to appeal to practically anyone who comes to the city.

		The Pawtucket Arts Festival is a citywide showcase of visual and performing arts, interactive workshops, music, theater, and dance performances. Locations of the festival are throughout the City of Pawtucket, with main events occurring at the McCoy Stadium, Blackstone Valley Visitors Center, Slater Memorial Park, Slater Mill, Pawtucket Armory and the School Street Pier. The PawSox present a “Kick-Off Concert” featuring rock legend Bob Dylan & His Band, Jimmie Vaughan w/Lou Ann Barton, Junior Brown plus Elana James & The Continental Two on Thursday, August 24, at McCoy Stadium. Tickets are $56.50 and doors open at 5:30pm. Urban Smart Growth & RISCA sponsor the opening Festival Event on Friday, September 8th, at the historic Pawtucket Armory from 6-9p.m. The public is invited to “Clam cakes and chowder” and a variety of appetizers and desserts from over 40 local restaurants. Includes comedian, Charlie Hall and musical performances by The Gnomes. Live radio broadcast by Bruce Newbury from WHJJ. Admission $10.00 per person; seniors $6.00; children under 12 free. At 6:30pm, just one block down from the Armory, the Pawtucket YMCA will be sponsoring “Family Fun Night” held in the parking lot across from City Hall, Roosevelt Ave. Includes family activities-in rock climbing wall, 25’ inflatable obstacle course, face painting, and arts & crafts. In addition, at 8:30pm, will be a special showing of a Disney movie at the Veterans’ Memorial Amphitheater.
Sandcastles by Sandtasia Rock Climbing Wall Raku by Raku Rhodeo Slater Memorial Park

The Pawtucket Arts Collaborative & RICIR sponsor “Pawtucket Exposed - Artist Open Studios” a self guided tour throughout Pawtucket artist studios from 6-9pm and continues on Sept. 9th and Sept. 10th, from 11a.m.-5p.m. This popular event will showcase over 50 artist studios in Pawtucket. Maps are available at the Visitor Center, 175 Main Street, daily from 9am-5pm.

On Saturday, September 9th, WJAR NBC 10 sponsors the 7th Annual Rhode Island Dragon Boat Race & Taiwan Day Festival will be held at the School Street Pier, where rowing teams from across the country will race up and down the Blackstone River vying for cash prizes during this all day event.

On Sunday, September 10th - The Matlet Group sponsors “Slater Mill Family Fun Fest”, at 67 Roosevelt Avenue from 12-5pm. Food, arts & crafts, hands-on activities for kids, face painting, rock climbing wall, a 25’ inflatable obstacle course, and MIX 98.5 Ice Cream Truck offering free ice cream samples. Includes musical performances by Slippery Sneakers Zydeco Band, Amy Famiglietti, and performances by the All Children’s Theater, the Providence Circus School and a Sand Castle demonstration featuring Sandtasia.

The Pawtucket Times sponsors “Downtown Music Fest at the Veterans’ Memorial Amphitheater (next to City Hall) on September 10th from 1-7pm featuring musical performances by Minor Swing, Steve Caddick & the Flying Elbows, and Soul Ambition Band. All events are free and open to the public.

Also, on September 10th, located at the Pawtucket Armory at 4:00 p.m. the exciting Fusionworks Dance Company will perform a modern dance concert suitable to the family-friendly atmosphere of the festival. The City of Pawtucket & Camera Werks presents Pawtucket: A City in Focus Photo Contest “Historic Places in Pawtucket” Awards, 175 Main Street, 2-4pm. Meet the judges. Winners of the 2006 Photo Contest will be announced by Mayor James E. Doyle.

The next weekend will bring Arts Fest 2006 to the beautiful setting of Slater Memorial Park. Cox Media sponsors the Stone Soup Folk Fest on Saturday, September 16th and Sunday, September 17th. This is a weekend filled with music, cultural performances, artist booths and Raku Rodeo demonstrations that will showcase some of the finest artisans in the country. Visitors can browse and shop at numerous one-of-a-kind art vendor booths, and experience a variety of musical performances including Aztec Two-Step, Tim Grimm, Jose Gonzalez and the Bando Criollo, Gandalf Murphy & Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Viva Quetzal, Joanne Lurgio and the Homegrown String Band.

On September 16th, The Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance presents RI Philharmonic Pops in the Park featuring conductor Franciso Noya. (Rain date has been set for Sunday, September 17th at the same times) at Slater Memorial Park at 5:30pm. Music fills the air next to the historic Carousel beginning at 4:30pm for a free performance by Street Corner Serenade.

Over the last seven years the Pawtucket Arts Festival has grown by leaps and bounds says, Herb Weiss, the City’s Economic and Cultural Affairs Officer who serves as the chair of this year’s Pawtucket Art's Festival. “Having Bob Dylan as our kick off event only continues to add quality and magic to Pawtucket’s three week arts festival,” Weiss says.

In addition, the Pawtucket Arts Festival 2006 will be packed with a variety of other events throughout the three weeks, which will include 6-Night Mirror Image Film Festival at the Visitor Center Theater, 175 Main Street and a free night at the Gamm Theatre on September 13 at 7:00p.m, a script reading, and a presentation on how artists can make a living producing their one-of-a-kind art work.

For more information, visit the Pawtucket Arts Festival website at www.pawtucketartsfestival.org.

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