Day in the Park celebrates 50 years this Saturday

JAMESTOWN — This weekend’s annual Day in the Park promises to be a celebration 50 years in the making.

The 50th anniversary of the popular festival will be held Saturday, from noon until 4 p.m., at City Lake Park in Jamestown. Admission is free.

“This is a legacy event for the community to celebrate the arts and culture here,” said Beverly Lewis, interim executive director of the High Point Arts Council, which sponsors the event. “It’s a family-friendly event, and we’ve got something for everybody.”

Showcasing everything from jazz and rock to woodworking and belly dancing, Day in the Park will feature two stages of live performances, multiple food trucks, children’s activities, folklife exhibitions, arts-themed activities, and more than 30 artists and crafters.

Among those musicians performing live will be Spindle 45, a local pop/rock cover band; Andre Brinson of Out-D-Ordinary Productions; the drum line from T. Wingate Andrews High School; the student musicians of the John Coltrane Jazz Workshop; and vocalists Trevor Gabriel, Yakeima White and Domonic Ricks.

Two special events taking place during the festival are a drum circle from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and an open songwriters’ circle from 2 to 4 p.m.

Representatives of the arts council’s partnering arts organizations such as High Point Community Theatre, The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards, the Artful Business Cohort will also be on hand, as will representatives of the “Christmas at Motown” show being presented at Centennial Station Arts Center later this year. Page To Stage, a theater program targeting children on the autism spectrum, will also be spotlighted.

Other highlights will include the 30-plus arts and crafts vendors, demonstrating such goods as woodworking, paintings, and printing-on-demand products; a children’s zone; and belly dance demonstrations, presented by Belly Dance By Shaula.

In addition to the Day in the Park activities, Mendenhall Homeplace — which is right across the street from City Lake Park — will also be open for tours during the hours of the festival, according to Lewis.

“Last year, we had about 3,500 people at Day in the Park, so we’re hoping for another great crowd this year to celebrate our 50th anniversary,” Lewis said.