First Sunday Arts Festivals goes big for July 1st. This will be the largest First Sunday Arts Festival yet as the festival expands further up West Street in front of the Loews Annapolis Hotel with more artists. The festival is also expanding into the parking lot on Calvert Street across from Whitmore Park to bring a Farmers Market to Downtown Annapolis during First Sunday Arts Festivals. “This will allow the festival to reduce the size of the wait list of artists wanting to get into the festival and help a new farmers market get re-established for residents in downtown Annapolis.” says Erik Evans, Executive Director of the Annapolis Arts District and Downtown Annapolis Partnership. The festival will be offering free tote bags to the first 100 farmers market customers on July 1st.
The expand festival will now give you the opportunity to shop directly from almost 150 local artisans and farmers each month on West Street and Calvert Street in historic Downtown Annapolis, Maryland starting on Sunday July 1st. You will find artisans selling paintings, jewelry, pottery, glass art, clothing, handbags, wood turnings, furniture, sculpture, photography, garden art, and more. This is the easiest and largest place to shop in the area for items hand made in Maryland. Plus the Banneker-Douglass Museum around the corner on Franklin Street will be hosting an event to celebrate Frederick Douglass during the July1st festival.
Performers throughout the festival will be showcasing live music at four free performance stages including, Weisman Park near the Visit Annapolis Visitors Center which is a good spot to relax in the shade, the main stage next to Stan and Joe’s Saloon, City Gate Park on the second block of West Street, and on Calvert Street in Whitmore Park hosted by Priddy Music Academy. Plus catch a movie at sunset after the festival on the back patio of Reynolds Tavern in Annapolis.
Entertainment Schedule for July 1:
Weisman Park next to Visit Annapolis
11am-1pm Meg Murray & Angie Miller
2pm-4pm: Doc Pine & The Respect He Deserves
Stan and Joe’s Saloon Parking Lot
12pm -12:45pm Temboan Kolintang
3pm-5pm 19th Street Band
City Gate Park
2pm-4pm Spencer Joyce Music
Whitmore Park
12pm-5pm Priddy Music Academy
Be sure to also check out the art exhibits throughout the Annapolis Arts District during the festival at FinArt Gallery & Studios, Nancy Hammond Editions, Whitehall Gallery, The Annapolis Collection Gallery, Tsunami, 49 West Coffeehouse, Winebar & Gallery and shopping from local designers at Cindy Loo Hoo’s Boutique.
The First Sunday Arts Festivals are conveniently located in Downtown Annapolis on West Street and Calvert Streets where Annapolis Parking is a breeze. There are several parking garages next to the festival including Whitmore Parking Garage and Gott’s Court Parking Garage both located along Calvert Street and Knighton Parking Garage located on West Street. The Calvert Street Parking garage aka State Garage located at 19 St Johns Street has free parking all day and is located within a two block stroll from the First Sunday Arts Festival.
Admission to the First Sunday Arts Festivals is free, so bring your friends and family to spend a day out on the town. This fun artisan festival returns on the first Sunday of each month through November plus a bonus Annapolis Chocolate Binge Festival in December makes it fun to Visit Annapolis, Maryland.
For those staying in town for the festival and July4th festivities there are several hotels and inns in the Annapolis Arts District to enjoy (Reynolds Tavern in Annapolis, Loews Annapolis Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn Annapolis Downtown and The Westin Annapolis).
The First Sunday Arts Festival are sponsored by the Inner West Street Association and managed by Evans Management LLC.
For more information and updates visit www.firstsundayarts.com
