New Wilmington Community Arts & Heritage Festival Begins Friday

The inaugural New Wilmington Community Arts & Heritage Festival begins Friday and features three days of family entertainment.

The celebration extends from downtown Market Street to the 300-acre Westminster College campus. The festival features nearly 40 hours of events running from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

"There really is something for everyone at the New Wilmington Community Arts & Heritage Festival," Chamber President Tim Kelly said. "The cooperation from the Chamber, area businesses, The Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, and Westminster College has been phenomenal. We are excited to share some of our area's treasures."

The main community stage will be in the Jameson Health Place parking lot on Market Street and features 17 bands and performers playing everything from gospel music to classic rock.

The Children's Tent, located on the corner of Waugh Avenue and Market Street across from Old Main, will be a family favorite venue. Everything from hands-on arts and crafts, to clowns, to activities supervised by The Pittsburgh Children's Museum and The Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts will engage children of all ages.

Westminster College's Old Main Senior Terrace will host a variety of plays and performers during the three-day event. An outdoor stage at Shenango on the Green will serve as the venue for a number of poets and storytellers.

Westminster's McGill Library is the site of the juried art show, while The Village Gallery will host artist Robert Griffing, along with a number of local artists.

Hot air balloon rides at Westminster's baseball field, bike races, countryside trolley tours, tours of Westminster's Outdoor Biology lab, and dozens of food, artist and craft booths round out the entertainment options leading to the closing fireworks over Brittain Lake.

The event is made possible by the cooperation of the New Wilmington Area Chamber of Commerce, The Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, and Westminster College.

"Westminster College is pleased to work with the Chamber and The Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts on this exciting project," said Westminster College President R. Thomas Williamson. "Many of our faculty and staff are involved in the festival, and we look forward to sharing our facilities with the community and many festival visitors."

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