Students to show creative side at Fine Arts fest

Folk dancers, jazz musicians and actors will be just a few of the groups performing at West Aurora's first Fine Arts Festival Saturday.

The event will feature artwork and performances from every grade level across the district.

"We saw a need for the grade-schoolers to see what the high school kids were doing, and for the high school kids to see what the grade-school kids were doing," said Meg Papadolias, choir director and Fine Arts chair at the high school.

More than 40 student groups will perform from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the high school, 1201 W. New York St., Aurora.

Performances will be in the cafeteria, auditorium, choir room, library, Room B140 and the Blue Field House.

High school artwork will be displayed in the east end of the Blue Field House, while middle school and elementary school art will displayed in the main hallways.

Papadolias, Eva Balek from Jewel Middle School and grade school music teacher Kim Scharf started planning the festival at the beginning of the school year.

It's too early to tell if it will be an annual event, Papadolias said.

"Hopefully it will be, we'll see how this one goes," she said.

Groups performing include: the high school marching band, the Hill Elementary School Irish dancers, Madrigals, the Washington Middle School Drama Players, and the Freeman Elementary School Jericho Circle Tappers.

The full schedule of events is on the district's Web site, www.sd129.org.

If you go

What: West Aurora school district Fine Arts Festival

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

Where: West Aurora High School, 1201 W. New York St., Aurora

Cost: Free; concessions available

Info: www.sd129.org