Purcellville, VA. (May 23, 2017) – About 2,000 people came to Fireman’s Field on May 20 for the 4th annual Purcellville Music and Arts Festival. From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., people were able to enjoy 23 performances on four different stages, view more than 40 works of art from local artists, shop and get information from more than 30 vendors, and wine and dine with local food and drink. Also throughout the day, there were free historic trolley rides and a variety of fun activities for kids.
The Purcellville Music and Arts Festival is a free event hosted by the Purcellville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board with the art show and related activities hosted by the Purcellville Arts Council. This year, there were performances on four stages featuring Andrew McKnight, Celtic Rhythm School of Dance, Colin Thompson, Critters and Conservation, Dank Rice, Eli Lev, Emily Horton, Franklin Park Big Band, Golden Uke Players, Grant Frazer, Harry Jay Smith and the Bling, Hungry on Monday, Juliana MacDowell, KOABD, Loudoun Valley Jazz Band, Mink’s Miracle Medicine, Old Dominion Chorus, Paul Reed Smith Band, Purcellville Library, Teddy Chipouras, The Immortals, Virginia Southpaws, and Wandering Peacocks.
The Art Hall, a.k.a. The Bush Tabernacle, housed more than 40 works of art along with information about the programs, classes, events, and shows offered by various art organizations including the Round Hill Arts Center, the Western Loudoun Artists Studio Tour, the Waterford Quilters Guild, the Tryst Gallery, the Loudoun Arts Council, the Franklin Park Arts Center, Macaroni Kids, and the new Loudoun County Artisan Trail. The local Girl Scouts also had a bake sale in the Art Hall. The Purcellville Arts Council also sponsored two community art projects. One was a contest for kids to design banners that will be displayed in downtown Purcellville. The second was in conjunction with the Loudoun County Artisan Trail awareness table where people of all ages could decorate butterflies that will be used to create a large mural.
Another feature during the festival was the premier of the benches and planters beautifully painted and decorated by artists as part of Discover Purcellville’s effort to showcase our local talent. They will be on display throughout the town all summer. In November, the benches and planters will be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting Discover Purcellville’s future community art projects.
Throughout the festival, the Purcellville Historical Society and the Purcellville Business Association hosted historic trolley tours, which ran every 30 minutes. There were four stops on the tour: 1.Music and Arts Festival (Fireman’s Field); 2. Purcellville Gateway (Cole Farm), 3. Main and Maple Streets (Grand Home “Exedra”); and 4 Downtown/21st Street (Depot St.).
The elements of art and music extended to the “Fun Zone,” with the community stage, face painting, henna painting, and even a chance for kids to paint a pony which was provided by one of the festival sponsors, Jason Sengpeihl of Allstate Insurance. The Purcellville Library offered several readings throughout the festival, and Critters and Conservation thrilled kids of all ages with snakes, lizards, birds, a lesser tenrec, and many other creatures.
The Purcellville Music and Arts Festival is generously brought to you by out title sponsor Loudoun Valley Floors, along with these sponsors: Shamrock Music Shoppe, Jason Sengpeihl/Allstate Insurance, Beckstrom Family Enterprises/Kettles and Grains, Purcellville Business Association, Businesses of Valley Industrial Park, Brookfield Residential, Middleburg Bank, DiRenzo Family Dentistry, Loudoun Valley Roofing, Mountaineer Pipe Corp., Saville’s Auto Service, M&D Motors, Purcellville Electric, StingRay Auto Body, Walsh’s VIP Auto Service, RoadRunner Towing, Browning Equipment, Discover Purcellville, Wicked Design, Bush Tabernacle and Teen Center, Carlyle and Anderson, Southern States, and the world class sound system of OHM Productions.
To see photos from the festival, visit https://www.facebook.com/PurcellvilleParksandRec.
