Warwick hosts final 3 days of Summer Arts Fest

WARWICK-The Warwick Summer Arts Festival comes to a close with flourish of performances and activities on July 17th, 18th and 19th at sites throughout the Town of Warwick. This weekend area residents will have an opportunity to immerse themselves in the arts n from pottery to painting, from singer/songwriters to dancing horses and everything in between. They can tour the studios of working visual artists, sample various healing art forms, take a song-writing workshop, make a float for the parade and each evening attend a concert under the stars. The theme for this year's festival is "Voices of Dissent/Voices of Healing."Holly Near epitomizes both. She will perform with pianist John Bucchino on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Stanley-Deming Park. Near is a unique combination of entertainer, teacher and activist. She has released over 20 recordings. Near is also an author and teacher -- she teaches master classes in performance craft and song writing. On Saturday, July 17th, from 1-2 p.m., she will lead a workshop at Christ Church on South Street. Reservations are encouraged as it may fill up quickly. Tom Chapin will perform at Stanley-Deming Park at 7 p.m. Sunday following the Art Parade down Main Street. Tom Chapin‘s concerts span generations and stereotypes. He says: "Mine is not a traditional music, but it comes from a tradition. My musical heroes are people like Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie who wrote and sang real songs for real people; for everyone, old, young, and in between." On Friday evening at 7 p.m., an eclectic group of performers will create an evening of theater, dance and music inspired by the beautiful setting at Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center on 17A across from Mt. Peter. The performance piece, entitled TO DUST…, features the choreography of Linda Mensch, Conductor David Crone and the Children's Festival Choir, the beautiful singing of James and Jody Weatherstone and Robert Vincent Smith, dressage rider Ute Frevert and the work of five local poets. On Saturday and Sunday, The Artist Open Studio Tour will take place throughout the Town. Maps and tickets can be purchased on those days at Railroad Green in the Village of Warwick. Participants go on a self-guided tour of the various studios, which include some of the finest working artists in the area. The work includes pottery, painting, jewelry, glass blowing, woodworking, and more. In addition, all of the artists have their work displayed at the Gallery at Port of Call on Main Street in the Village of Warwick.