The Lansing area will be inundated with festivals this weekend, which promises to keep residents in mid-Michigan busy.
Here’s a brief look at five area festivals this weekend:
Festival of the Sun
Saturday, North Lansing
Festival of the Sun is mid-Michigan’s premier wine, brew and gourmet food-tasting festival. Rain or shine, the festival runs from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Burchard Park by the Brenke Fish Ladder, on East Grand River Avenue and Turner Street in North Lansing.
Admission is $10 for adults over 21 and those who wish to participate in the taste fest. The fee provides the patron with two taste tickets and a wine glass with the Festival of the Sun logo on it. The taste tickets are good for 2 ounces of wine and 4 ounces of brew.
For those who choose not to drink or are under 21, the fee will be $5, which covers admission and two taste tickets for nonalcoholic beverages.
Festival Director Rosemary Taylor said the event is not only aimed at those of legal drinking age, but is also for kids.
“There’s music, nonalcoholic drinks and food,” she said. “It’s a great party. It’s more of an adult event, but I’m not discouraging kids because they love the music and the food. But the nature of it is more upscale.”
There will be jazz and blues musicians and two stages for continuous music throughout the festival, Taylor said.
Summer Solstice Jazz Festival
Saturday, East Lansing
The Summer Solstice Jazz Festival is a celebration of the longest day of the year. Running for the fifth-straight year, the festival is held at Ann Street Plaza in downtown East Lansing and is free for everyone.
Starting at 4 p.m., the jazz festival will feature the Arlene McDaniel Trio with Sheila Landis.
At 6 p.m., the Ritmo Latin Jazz Band will be performing a style of Cuban and Latin music with American jazz influences.
And at 8 p.m., Marcus Belgrave and Carl Cafagna’s band, North Star Jazz, will bring a New Orleans-style jazz sound to East Lansing streets.
MSU philosophy Professor Albert Cafagna, Carl’s father, said Belgrave has traveled all over the world and even played with Ray Charles.
Tickets will be raffled off for prizes in between the musical sets. Subway will be there and Melting Moments Homemade Ice Creams will provide cool sweets.
The event will have a limited number of seats, so attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs.
Delta Rocks Family Festival
Saturday, Lansing
Almost all festivals this summer are geared toward adults and most children are left with nothing to do. However, with Delta Rocks Family Festival 2001, it’s an event made especially for kids, and families too.
The festival begins at 12:30 p.m. at Sharp Park, 1401 Elmwood Road in Lansing.
The event features clowns, inflatable rides, a rock-climbing wall, pony rides and an arts and crafts booth, in addition to numerous shows featuring classic cars, magicians, mimes, in-line skating and bikes, dogs and crafts.
Everything is free, said Barbara Sherbo Kellogg, a member of the festival committee, but the ever-popular inflatable rides will cost 50 cents.
Musician Tim Cunningham will perform jazz music at 7 p.m.
Art in the Park
Saturday, Lansing
The fifth annual Art in the Park will have two stages of live music and dancing, plus 10 booths of restaurants from the Lansing area from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
The event is at Lansing’s Ferris Park, on Shiawassee Street two blocks north of the Capitol.
Admission is free and many of the artists will be giving art demonstrations.
Live music will be provided by Even Keel, Half Looking and Root Doctor, and dancing will be provided by the Mallika African Dancers and LA Cloggers, said Monica Zuchowfki, the organization’s president.
Holywahooza IV
Sunday, Lansing
Spurred by high demand from the community, Holywahooza will be providing mid-Michigan with its fourth annual contemporary Christian music concert Sunday at Oldsmobile Park, 505 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing.
Three national bands are on the docket and the show starts at 7 p.m.
“It’s contemporary Christian, very much like Christian rock,” said Shelby Bailer, the marketing manager for Lansing Entertainment and Public Facility Authority and Holywahooza. “But it’s not your typical music you would hear from your local church.
“(The music is) about faith and spirituality more so than religion.”
Bailer said tickets will still be available, for $23, at the door until show time. Tickets are $20 in advance and $15 for each person in groups of 15 or more, and are available by calling 483-7400. All seats are general admission.
State News staff writer Cavan Moon contributed to this report.
