Riverside Art and Music Festival Returns to Downtown Riverside

The region’s largest fundraiser in support of the arts is returning to
downtown Riverside. Last year, in an effort to broaden its reach and make
their signature event more accessible to a wider range of the community, the
Riverside Arts Council partnered with the Riverside Downtown Partnership to
integrate the former Mayor’s Ball and Summer Street Jam into the Riverside
Art and Music Festival. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday,
September 9 from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

The festival celebrating arts and music and will close 9th Street from Lemon
to Main, and Orange Street from 9th to University in downtown Riverside. The
stage will be located at 9th and Orange, with audience viewing from the
stage to University. Local performers will be featured on the stage until
from 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. when the free concert begins with the Top Shelf Brass
Band at 7:00, Kiki Diago at 8:00 and QUITAPENAS, who played the Coachella
Valley Music and Arts Festival earlier this year, closing out the evening as
headliner at 9:00.

Art and cultural exhibits will be set up throughout the area of the
festival, and will feature local artists and arts groups offering
demonstrations, workshops and sales. There will also be a chalk art festival
at 9th and Main, at which local artists will demonstrate chalk art to young
aspiring artists. Local dance groups will also be performing near the chalk
art festival.

The Riverside Arts Council is a private, non-profit corporation whose
mission is “to provide, develop, support and sustain the arts.” It is a
state local partner of the California Arts Council and a leader among
regional and state networks of local art agencies. Established in 1977, it
is Riverside County’s central source for arts-related services, information,
education and outreach. Connecting artists and art organizations within this
ever-expanding region, RAC encourages the advancement, participation and
integration of visual, literary and performing arts into the fabric of the
communities it serves. Programs range from networking and regional arts and
cultural infrastructure development to neighborhood revitalization, outreach
and collaborative projects that proactively address community changes.

The Riverside Downtown Partnership is a not-for-profit organization that was
formed in 1981 to advocate for a better downtown. RDP manages Downtown
Riverside’s Business Improvement District. RDP’s vision of Downtown
Riverside is the regional destination for businesses and service industries.
With employment opportunities and attractive locations for growth, downtown
Riverside is recognized for the quality of its cultural life, concentration
of arts, educational programs, and urban living opportunities. RDP’s mission
is to promote, represent, and manage an environment to support downtown
Riverside as a regional destination for economic, arts, cultural and
residential uses.

For more information on the Riverside Art and Music Festival, visit
http://www.facebook.com/RiversideArtandMusicFestival. Or visit
http://www.riversideartscouncil.com or http://www.riversidedowntown.org.