From Friday, July 17th through Sunday, July 19th, Canandaigua will bustle as thousands of festivalgoers and over 100 exhibitors throng through town for the annual Canandaigua Art & Music Festival.
Discover some of the region's most talented artists and musicians at the festival

Discover some of the region's most talented artists and musicians at the Canandaigua Art & Music Festival

The festival was re-energized when Canandaigua’s Business Improvement District took it over and hired seasoned festival organizer Nicole Mahoney to run the show.  The Art portion of the festival is now juried and the musical talent is hired by Rainbow Talent Agency, so this festival brings together some of the top artistic and musical talent in the region.

The artisans selected for this show were chosen based on quality and diversity of product and price point, so you’ll find a wonderful selection of exhibitors including woodworkers, photographers, painters, sculptors, fiber and leather crafters, jewelers and creators of gourmet food items.  In addition, many of the merchants in town also participate in the festival, bringing the essence of Canandaigua to the Festival.

 
The musical performances run the gamut, including  jazz, blues, big band, new wave, pop, country, rock and more, with many of the groups offering a fascinating crossover between genres.  Each of the groups is extraordinarily talented and you’ll find performances by both emerging musicians who have just cut their first album as well as veteran performers with a number of CDs under their belts and a broad regional following.

Got kids?  Don’t worry!  They’ll enjoy the Kids Korridor where there are plenty of hands on activities and a stage with performances geared toward children, including Wildlife Defenders, Gadgets the Clown, the Hochstein Instrument Petting Zoo, The Boomerang Club.

And with dozens of food vendors, you can graze your way from one end of the festival to the other, enjoying the sights and sounds of this entertaining event.

The Canandaigua Art & Music Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.  There is no charge to attend and parking is free.  Parking may be tight, but you’ll find spaces on side streets or in the public parking behind the buildings on Main Street.

To discover more about some of the talented artists and musicians participating in this festival, visit the Canandaigua Art & Music Festival blog, written by yours truly!

Photo courtesy of the Canandaigua Art & Music Festival.