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.