“The quality of programming in music we have in East Lansing is great for tying in those roots of our community and showing how we support the students,” she said.

“We have a real emphasis on local bands and focusing on local talent.”

Vanwyck said decisions about musical acts are made around September and presented to a board of directors who make the final decisions of what bands to showcase.

David Larzelere, is finishing up his second year as the director of bands at East Lansing High School.

“This is our last event, and there are a lot of people who come down to the festival just to hear this group because it kicks off the festival and has been a tradition at the art fair,” he said.

The jazz band has been rehearsing for this year’s events since October, he said.

“The most prideful moment is just watching where they start and where they end up… the process of watching them mature and improve over the year,” he said.

Kevin Allswede is pianist of the East Lansing High School Jazz Band featured at the East Lansing Art Festival this weekend and said he knew how to play 20 songs on the piano before taking his first lesson.

“You can play the right patterns and notes, but it doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t have the swing,” he said.

“When I was little, there was a piano in my house, and before I ever had a piano lesson, I sat down and plunked out some tunes,” he said.

Percussionist Warren Sokolnicki played in the art festival as a freshman.

“There was this guy who played guitar who was so good at jazz and is an awesome person,” he said.

“There was also a specific drummer who was really good (along with) other drummers who were really good, and it made me want to carry it on and get better,” Sokolnicki said.