Tag Archives for Bob Billington

Arts Festival Is a Cultural Boon

Published in Senior Digest on September 2005

Only a few thousand people came into the city to attend its first arts festival. But attendance at the multi-day event has grown steadily over the last six years.  Festival organizers estimated that last year’s Pawtucket Arts Festival drew 35,000 people.

Richard Goldstein, an aide to Mayor James E. Doyle, stated that the first festival held in 1999, drew 35 people to the library. We had so many pizzas left, we wouldn’t let people leave the building without taking a pizza home with them,” he chuckled.

How things have changed, said Goldstein, as he reflected on the growth of the festival gala. “Last year, we had 30 times the number that attended the first year’s gala,” he said.

The upcoming gala, scheduled for Sept. 9 from 6 to 9:00 p.m. at the historic Pawtucket Armory, 172 Exchange St., is expected to draw a very large crowd, too, says Goldstein. At the kick-off event, more than 80 restaurants or stores will provide food and drink to feed the large numbers expected to dine and listen to the Rhode Island Firefighters Pipers & Drums and the Louisiana-based Nathan Williams and the Zydeco Cha Chas.  There is a $5 admission to help defray some of the costs of the $ 103,000 arts festival.

The start of the festival dates to January 1999, when newlyweds Kristine and state Rep. Peter Kilmartin were taking a leisurely drive through Slater Park. Kristine, a Smithfield native, had only lived in Pawtucket for a few months, and she asked her new husband why the city didn’t take advantage of its open space. She wondered why the city couldn’t organize an event such as the Scituate Arts Festival in the 209-acre Slater Park.

The Kilmartins turned to Mayor Doyle with the idea of creating an arts festival, and the rest is now city lore. The Kilmartins never imagined the idea would evolve into three weeks of artistic and musical events that would gain statewide and international attention.

Dragon boat races

In 2000, the dragon boat races and Taiwan Day Festival drew a crowd of 2,000 people to the School Street Pier to watch six teams race in 38-foot boats.  Four years later, over 15,000 spectators watched 30 teams compete, says Bob Billington, who heads the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council.

Billington expects the widely poplar event scheduled from 9:00 a,m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sept. 10 to draw more than 20,000.

“Those attending this year’s races will be able to watch the Ten Drum Art Percussion Group performed and learn about Chinese crafts, music and dance,” he said. At the end of the day, the winning boat takes home a $ 2,000 grand prize.

“The Rhode Island dragon boat races continues to grow each year because the even has remained faithful to showcasing traditional Chinese culture, an it’s free,” says Billington.

Head Downtown

On Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., people are invited downtown where art lovers can check out the city’s growing art scene by taking a self-guided tour with maps available at the Visitor Center at 175 Main St. Stops include galleries, the Gamm and Mixed Magic theaters, the Fusion Works Dance Co. at the Pawtucket Armory, artist studios and local businesses.

On the same day from noon to 5:00 p.m., the Slater Park Family Funfest will offer an array of children’s activities, says Jeanne Zavada, who oversees the Slater Mill Historic Site.

“It’s important to introduce kids to the wide range of arts,” says Zavada and that’s what will take place at the historic site, 67 Roosevelt Ave. Works created by high school students in the “Youth Arts Exhibit” will be on display ad artisans will demonstrate crafts such as jewelry and ceramic making and weave

In addition, members of the All-Children’s Theater will perform “When Elephants Fly.” and the Providence Circus School will offer a workshop.

Music Art in Slater Park

From 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 17 and 18 at Daggett Farm in Slater Park, a first-class lineup of musicians playing folk and world music will fill the air. Performers will include Aztec Two-Step, Dan Pelletier, Carlos deleon and the Mystic Jammers.  Also 38 artists will offer their one of a kind art work for sale during this weekend.

When looking at the jam-packed three-week schedule of the 2005 Pawtucket Arts Festival, Mayor Doyle considers the “icing on the cake” to be the return of the Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance Pops in the Park event with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, which is scheduled for Sept. 24. The rain date is Sept. 25.

The Street Corner Serenade opens the widely anticipated concert at 4:00 p.m.  At 5:30 p.m., resident conductor Francisco Noya will lead the Rhode Island Philharmonic’s last concert of the Summer Pops Series.  Fireworks will begin at the conclusion of the musical program.  Bring lawn chairs and blankets.

“The Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance again comes to the plate with its generous sponsorship and its continued support of the arts programming in Pawtucket,” Doyle said.

“Its sponsorship of this event  brings this cultural icon of Rhode Island right into the heart of Slater Park, giving any Pawtucket resident the opportunity to experience a high-caliber event at no cost,” he added.

Throughout the three weeks of the 2005 Pawtucket Arts Festival, other events will include Mirror Image’s six-night film festival, the announcement of winners of the 2005 Camera Werks photo contest, a furniture exhibit organized by Rhode Island School of Design’s Catalyst Arts, tango lessons and an open house at Providence Tango, script readings at the Visitor Center and exhibits and galleries managed by the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative, Slater Mill and the Water Color Society.

City Comes Alive with Art

Published in Senior Digest in September 2004

Almost six years ago, newly weds Peter and Kristine Kilmartin took a drive through Slater Park. Kristine, a Smithfield native, asked her new husband why the city did not take more advantage of its largest park. “Why couldn’t the city do something like the Scituate Arts Festival in this beautiful park,” she quizzed Peter, a state representative.

This simple question would ultimately lead to the creation of Pawtucket’s annual arts festival, which has become the largest city sponsored event in the 209-acre park at other city sites.

The Kilmartins turned to Mayor James E. Doyle with their idea of creating an arts festival and received his blessings. Pawtucket’s annual festival was born in 1999, with Peter and Kristine being appointed honorary chairs.

Initially tied to Providence’s Convergence in 1999, festival organizers consisted of Pawtucket officials, artists and civic leaders, who spun off from Convergence in 2002 and created an arts festival Pawtucket style. Since its inception, the Pawtucket Arts Festival has offered a citywide showcase of visual and performing arts, interactive workshops, music, theatre and dance performances.

Through the strong support of the local business community, the art festival’s budget has grown steadily in six years, usually set at $20,000 in 1999 to a sky-rocking budget of $105,000. 

More than 230 businesses located in Pawtucket and surrounding communities have donated over $70,000 including almost $200,000 of in-kind donations, making this year’s festival the biggest ever. In addition, more than 55 local restaurants will provide donations of food and drink for the opening gala.

Festival organizers say that attendance to the Pawtucket’s Arts Festival has grown, too, over the last five years.  In 1999, the festival drew just over a few thousand people.  Last year, an estimated 30,000 people traveled to Pawtucket to attend one of the festival’s many events.

The 1999 opening gala attracted about 35 people to the Pawtucket Public Library. In a recent meeting of festival organizers, Rick Goldstein, a mayoral aide recalled, “We had more food than people.” Last year, more than 1,000 people attended the opening gala at the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center, 175 Main St.

Crowds at the dragon boat races held at the School Street pier, have steadily increased over the years, too, from 2,000 at the first races to more than 15,000 last year.

Another big draw last year was the Rhode Island Philharmonic concern in Slater Park. Sponsored by the Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance, the performance attracted more than 6,000 people.

This year’s festival is scheduled from Sept. 1-26, and events will be held at sites such as the Visitor Center, Slater Mill, Veterans Memorial Amphitheater, Slater Park and School Street Pier.

Although considered an official city event, the festival’s executive planning committee has reached out to the artist community for assistance to developing the artistic and musical programming for the three-week event. “We continue to grow the tradition of having the Pawtucket Arts Festival involve our artists,” says Patricia Zacks, who chairs the Slater Park Fall Fest and services as President of the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative.

“This year we saw a record number of artists wanting to get involved,” she said, noting that her program committee was artist driven. Nine artists, some of whom are members of the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative, sit on the festival’s 14-person executive program committee.

According to Zack’s festival attendees will enjoy quality artistic and musical events provided by many local artisans. With the exception of the opening gala buffet and the Mirror Image Film Festival, all events, which will be of interest to people of all ages, are free.

The jam-packed schedule includes a variety of music, including the Rhode Island Philharmonic pops concern, Patty Larkin and other well-recognized folk singers, the 18-piece SOS Big Band, the Narragansett Bay Chorus, Cape Verdean musician Jao Cerilo, the Rockin’ Soul Horns, Rhode Island’s hottest rhythm and blues band and Latin-American inspired poetry and music by Aurea.

Four art exhibits will be held at the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative Gally, the Rhode Island Watercolor Society Gallery and the two Slater Mill galleries.  There will be a retrospective show, featuring 30 bronze sculptures of Jack Gresko, trolley tours of dozens of artist studios, a free performance of “Enemy of the People” courtesy of the Sandra Feinstein Gamm Theatre, the All-Children’s Theatre production of “The Legend of Juan Bobo,” Arts Fest 2004 – an arts and craft show – and an opportunity to meet filmmakers during the six-night Mirror Image Film Festival.

Another event is Slater Mill’s Ethnic and Heritage Festival, which will feature Revels’ Circle Song. The touring ensemble will present “An American Journey,” using song, dance and story to tell about the early century voyages that brought immigrants from Ireland, Italy, and Eastern Europe to this country.

One of the signature events of the festival are the dragon boat races, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 11th at the School Street Pier. “This year we received larger and wider boats,” boast’s Bob Billington, president of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, the Pawtucket-based nonprofit tourism organization that oversees the races and the related cultural artistic and musical events. “Nobody has this type of boat in New England,” Billington claims.

Billington says with the phenomenal growth of the festival and closer ties with the government of Taiwan forged by Congressman Patrick Kennedy, this year’s festival will have even more Taiwanese and cultural  events. Added events include an exhibit 30 of the best photographs taken by Taiwanese amateur photographers of different scenes of the country.  G-TECH will host six deaf artists, who will exhibit their work and technique during the races, and a Taiwanese kite master will fly a 1,000-foot kite over the site.

As to non-Taiwanese activities, Billington notes that Pawtucket wood sculptor Billy Rebele will carve an eagle out of a log with his  chain saw, and artist Chris Kane will again organize a metal pour at the pier.

Mayor James E. Doyle said the pops concert scheduled for Sept. 18 from 4 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. is another anchor event of the festival. A $15,000 donation from the Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance and sponsorships from 46 local businesses enabled the city to bring the prestigious Rhode Island orchestra back to Slater Park, the mayor said.

“Teachers residing throughout Pawtucket and in surrounding communities are strongly committed to building a better cultural community and a place to live,” says Mary Ann Kaveny, president of the Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance. “Programs such as the pops program are important life experiences that young students should have the opportunity to see and hear,” she added.

Kaveny says that the concert is a great venue for grandparents to bring their children and grandchildren. “We believe that this is the best family-oriented event that is held annually in the city,” she said.

City Councilor Don Grebien, who co-chairs the executive planning committee with his wife Laureen, sees the upcoming festival as a vehicle to bring the city’s growing artistic, blue collar and ethnic communities together.

“The President Arts Festival ties in well with the city’s efforts to create an artist friendly city, Grebien says, making Pawtucket a regional destination site.

R.I’s historic sites celebrate veterans with free admission

Published in The Pawtucket Times on November, 5, 2001

A statewide open house will be held on Nov. 12 as a way to restore America’s sagging spirit by recognizing Rhode Island’s unique heritage and its historic sites.   One Veterans Day, admissions at stately mansions and unique windmills, working farms and treasured museums in northern Rhode Island across the state will be waved.

Free admission at more than 40 Rhode Island sites on Veterans Day follows on the heels of National park Service Director Fran Mainella’s recent visit to the Visitor Center in Pawtucket, where she announced the waiving of all fees at every national park during Veterans Day weekend.  She called for historic sites across America to join in as well.  At press time, additional sites and programs are signing up daily. 

“We’re happy that so many sites across the 45-mile long Blackstone Valley Corridor have found the ability to open their doors on this important occasion to support the National Park effort”, stated Bob Billington, president of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council.  “This is one of the few times where you can get great history for no cost,” he said.

Pawtucket.  Come to downtown Pawtucket to visit Slater Mill Historic Site, the birthplace of America’s Industrial Revolution.  In December 1790, Samuel Slater pioneered America’s first water-powered cotton spinning mill.  Today, the museum complex along the Blackstone River includes the old Slater Mill, the Wilkinson Mill, the Sylvanus Brown House, and collections of hand-operated and powered machinery on 5.5 acres in Pawtucket.  Slater Mill will make its admissions free on each day of the holiday weekend courtesy of Fleet Bank on Newport Avenue.

Central Falls.  Still have some time on your hands?  Come visit the Lysander and Susan Flagg Museum and Cultural Center, adjacent to the Central Falls Free Public Library.  The museum and library are home to a collection of paintings by Lorenzo Denevers, a famous Central Falls painter who was a classmate of Picasso.  One room of the museum houses military artifacts, texts and pictures from the Civil War, along with those from World War I, World War II, the Korean, Vietnam and Panama conflicts.  The museum also holds personal sketches of the members of the Sullivan-Ballou Post of Civil War veterans.

Additionally, a beautifully written, emotional letter by Maj. Sullivan Ballou, a Rhode Island lawyer and politician who served in the Union, to his wife is displayed.  This letter was featured in Ken Burn’s critically acclaimed 1990 documentary “The Civil War”, where the soldier predicted his own death and proclaims his love for his wife, children and country.

Woonsocket.  Or take a leisurely drive and discover the Rhode Island Historical Society’s Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket.  This interactive museum re-recreates the unique labor story documenting the rise of the Independent Textile Union which grew to dominate every aspect of city life.

Changing exhibits and special events present a compelling story of the French Canadians who left farms in Quebec for the mill factories in Rhode Island.  At this museum, exhibits re-create the typical Quebecois farmhouse, a shop floor in a textile mill, a front porch of a three-family apartment house, also providing views from a church pew and a school desk, or the inside of a 1934 union hall.

For more information, call the Museum of Work and Culture at (401) 769-9675; Slater Mill Historic Site at (401) 725-8638; or The Lysander and Susan Flagg Museum at (401) 727-7440.