Rochester's third annual Nickel Plate Music and Arts Festival may be just around the corner, but it's still not too late for last minute vendors or volunteers to join the downtown fun on August 26.
Festival coordinator Christine Walsh's passion for highlighting the importance of art in the community helped inspire the Nickel Plate Music and Arts Festival's beginning. Walsh believes the connectivity of the shared experience of supporting and appreciating art, whether it be visual, through music and performances, story telling, or creating, brings the community together by encouraging the act of further creating.
Similar to last year's festival experience, six art tables will be featured on the courthouse lawn for free hands-on activities, along with live music throughout the day. Sweetcakes Entertainment will be there again, providing face painting, henna tattoos, balloon animals and caricatures to festival goers, free of charge. Other art booths, food trucks and more will also be line up on East 8th Street to add to the festivities.
Each year has a unique twist, focusing on something specific, like the first year with a Jamaican band and last year's Latin Duo. Walsh's planned highlight for this year was having Paula Jo Taylor and band perform, an all-female country band from Nashville, Tennessee.
A professional stage and sound will be added for this year's performances, thanks to a $7,500 grant from the Fulton County Community Foundation.
A grant from the Indiana Arts Commission's of $3,800 helped fund some of the free art activities, and the City of Rochester also continues to also support the event, sponsoring all the live music this year.
The list continues to grow for vendors. Walsh continues to invite new vendors, artists, food trucks and other unique entertainment to join, accepting applications for vendors up to August 25.
Volunteers, vendors or sponsors wanting to participate in the festival can reach out by going to the Nickel Plate Music and Arts Festival's Facebook page and fill out a form or email cwalshrdp@gmail.com.
