Glen Ellyn dedicates weekend to art, music
This weekend is all about the arts in Glen Ellyn.
Two events - the Festival of the Arts and Madonnari Off Main - are combining forces to bring artistic expression to Lake Ellyn and downtown.
The arts festival, recently taken over by the Lions Club, will celebrate its 40th year by bringing 57 artists from multiple states to Lake Ellyn Park.
"It's a really picturesque setting," said Steve Morriss, one of the chairmen of the event.
A music lineup of six bands will perform Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22 and 23.
"The music tends to be rather eclectic," Morriss said. "It's definitely a celebration of sight and sound."
The artwork is also a mix of mediums. Artists bring jewelry, sculptures in wood and metal, and paintings.
Meanwhile the Madonnari event, overseen by the park district, takes to the streets of downtown Glen Ellyn for the second year.
The downtown area will be full of artists sketching away in chalk on sidewalks. The idea comes from traditional Italian painting dating to the 16th century.
"It's a modern-day twist to something that's been around," said Kathleen Talenco, park district spokeswoman. "We think it's going to be much bigger than last year."
The event downtown also will include music and specialty artists being brought into the village.
However, residents can also reserve squares to do their own sidewalk chalk drawings. Registration is being conducted online at gepark.org.
Today, master chalk artists will show examples of their work and explain their artistic process. The workshop runs 7 to 8 p.m. at the Main Street Recreation Center, 501 Hill Ave. Advance registration is required and available online.
To unite the events, the Downtown Glen Ellyn Alliance is sponsoring a shopper's trolley to cart people between both spots in town.
The free trolley also will have an ambassador on board that will dispense Glen Ellyn trivia, advice on good parking spots and recommendations for restaurants.
For information on any of the events, visit glenellyn.org.
Glen Ellyn Festival of the Arts
The festival runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22 and 23, at Lake Ellyn. Besides juried artists, several music acts will perform.
SATURDAY
Noon Route 66, all female vocal harmony and choreography, route66sings.com
1 p.m. Breeze, electric jazz with sax, blackjackbanks.com/breeze.htm
3 p.m. Goran Ivanovic, guitar virtuoso and Eastern European jazz influences, goranivanovic.net
SUNDAY
Noon Mariachi Perla de Mexico, Mariachi, perlademexico.com
1:30 p.m. Anima Singers, animasingers.org
3 p.m. Max Allen Band, jazz blues, maxallenmusic.com
Madonnari Off Main
The sidewalk chalk event runs 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22 and 23, in downtown Glen Ellyn. A block party will take place 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday. Samples of chalk paintings will be displayed at the library all this month.
THURSDAY
4-4:45 p.m. Lori Escalera and Julian Beever, internationally known chalk artists, share their art experience at St. Mark's Church
5-6 p.m. Block Party featuring Lori Escalera at the Glen Ellyn library
7-8 p.m. Master artists explain their process at the Main Street Recreation Center
FRIDAY
11 a.m. to noon Professional face painter Gene Diaz explains how to transform your face at the Glen Ellyn library
SATURDAY
9 a.m. Opening ceremony with Joe Cantafio at Prairie Park
3 p.m. MJT3 Trio
4:15 p.m. Alive Day
5-11 p.m. Block party
6:30 p.m. Black Hole Trio
7:45 p.m. Heavy the Fall
9 p.m. Lovehammers
SUNDAY
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Face painting with Gene Diaz
11:30 a.m. Elite Feet dance performance
2 p.m. Library storytellers
4 p.m. A Cappella Underground and Glenbard West Madrigal Singers
Glen Ellyn Shopper's Trolley
What: A trolley will run between the Festival of the Arts at Lake Ellyn Park and Madonnari Off Main in downtown Glen Ellyn
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: Stops at Vintage Living, Pupparazi, Glen Ellyn train station, Lake Ellyn, Bundles of Books, Knickers of Glen Ellyn, AliKat, Sante Fe Restaurant
Cost: Free