Weekend Pick: 5th Annual Boston Arts Festival

The 5th annual Boston Arts Festival takes place this weekend (Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 8-9) from noon to 6 p.m. at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park. Affectionately dubbed (ähts), The Boston Arts Festival is designed to launch Boston’s arts season and showcase more than 70-juried artists and Boston’s contemporary arts scene. Visual artists will exhibit and sell one-of-a-kind and limited edition works of art, covering a broad spectrum of creativity, in a specially constructed artists’ village. The festival also features a performance program on two separate stages: the Waterfront Stage and the Garden Stage. This year’s performing artists include the Boston Ballet, Boston gay Men’s Chorus, Opera Boston, Riverside Theatre Works, members of the Boston Pops ensemble, Mango Blue, and children’s favorites Steve’s Song and Ben Rudnick.
There will also be a program of family-friendly activities including interactive painting led by the Mayor’s Mural Crew, a special children’s area, glass blowing demonstration, and a commissioned piece of artwork to be sculpted on site.

The full schedule is as follows:

WATERFRONT STAGE

Saturday

noon-12:45pm, OrigiNation

1:15- 2pm, Riverside Theatre Works

2:30- 3:15pm, Dance Asia

3:45- 4:30pm, Boston Ballet II

5:15- 6pm, Boston Gay Men's Chorus

Sunday

12:30- 1:15pm, Steve Songs

1:45- 2:30pm, Boston Pops Ensemble

2:30- 3:15pm, Boston Ballet II

3:45- 4:30pm, Opera Boston

5:15- 6pm, Mango Blue

GARDEN STAGE

Saturday

12:45- 1:15pm, City Stage Company

2-2:30pm, Maeve Gilchrist

3:15- 3:45pm, Peter Row

4:30- 5:15pm, New England Conservatory Jazz Ensemble II

Sunday

noon-12:30pm, Community Music Center of Boston

1:15- 1:45pm, Ben Rundnik & Friends

2:30- 3pm, Bamidele Drums

4:30- 5pm, Masayo Ishigure

The Boston Arts Festival presented by TARGET and co-sponsored by Metro Boston, Boston magazine, and WBUR, takes place at Christopher Columbus Park, conveniently located on Boston’s waterfront between Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Boston’s historic North End. The Park is easily accessed via public transportation: Blue Line to Aquarium stop, Green Line to the Haymarket stop, or the Orange Line also to Haymarket stop. For detailed information visit www.cityofboston.gov/arts, or call 617-635-3911 The Boston Arts Festival is produced by the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism & Special Events