Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival set Sept. 22, 23

The Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau, in partnership with The Phipps Center for the Arts, are organizing the Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival, Sept. 22 and 23 in Lakefront Park.

The Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival draws thousands of visitors to Hudson every year. This year the festival offers even more art in the park, with 80-plus juried artists. Acoustic musicians will add to the atmosphere of fine art and fall flavors. The two-day event will begin Saturday, Sept 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and continues Sunday, Sept. 23, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The festival will showcase a variety of performing talent. Live acoustic music will be performed both days on two stages at the Lakefront Park Band Shell and in the Artist Village.

Saturday

-- Acoustic, live from the Artist Village, Paul Imholte (strolling musician), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Imholte performs traditional and original music on nearly a dozen string instruments. His featured instrument is the hammered dulcimer which is a trapezoid-shaped instrument played by striking strings with light hammers. The starting point for Imholte’s dulcimer repertoire is traditional American music, but he often throws in music ranging from Bach to The Beatles.

He also sings and plays the fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica and jaw harp. He sings songs of farming and small towns and the people who make their living on the land.

-- Acoustic, live from the Artist Village, Joe Christensen and Nicole Lewandowski, 1 to 3 p.m.

Their music is influenced by the old school greats such as Ray Charles, B.B. King, and Otis Redding, but they also trace their roots to modern artists Corinne Bailey Rae, John Mayer, D’angelo and Derek Trucks. In the summer of 2011, Nicole and Joe added drums, bass, keys and saxophone to the duo, creating The Nicole and Joe Band. Nicole and Joe recorded their first EP titled “It Goes Around” in February 2011. “It Goes Around” consists of five original tunes and a cover of Robert Johnson’s classic tune “Crossroads”. It illustrates Nicole and Joe doing what they do best; reflecting on their timeless roots, and creating music they love.

-- Acoustic, live from the Artist Village, August Blues- Pop, Classic Rock and Blues Ban, 3 to 5 p.m.

Referred to as a “J. Arthur’s Coffee House favorite,” August Blues is a band that is making a name for itself in the area. Band members McKenna Selissen, Cavan Denning and Dylan White are high school students from Hudson. They enjoy entertaining audiences by taking music from past and present artists, and interpreting the songs in their own “August Blues” acoustic style while performing original music as well. The trio has recently started playing at local venues, and has performed for special events and benefits. In August, they performed at the Minneapolis Children’s Hospital in-house studio and were asked to tape several songs for the Children’s Hospital Network.

--Live from Lakefront band shell, Devine Collection -- Soul, Funk, R&B, Rock, Jazz, 1 to 4 p.m.

To quote from neo soul singer, Sy Smith’s “Aquarius Rising,” the Devine Collection ranges from “hip hop to be-bop to funk to fusion, from high life to reggae to rock and roll.”

The Devine Collection was founded by Stephanie Devine (The New Congress) in 2009. It began with an invitation to Debra G (Copasetic/The New Congress) and Jessica Johnson (8 Switch Assembly) to perform with Stephanie at a solo show at Bunkers and the dynamic of the three women singing together was so stunning they decided to continue singing together, creating the Devine Collection. It’s a heavy female fronted band along with Alex Kosak (Guitar, Ten17), Petar Janjic (Drums, Ten17, Mambo's Combo) and Russ King (Keys, The New Congress).

Sunday

-- Acoustic, live from the Artist Village:

The Nicole and Joe Band- R&B, Blues and Jazz, noon to 2 p.m.

August Blues- Pop, Classic Rock and Blues Band, 2 to 4 p.m.

-- Live from Lakefront Band Shell, Devine Collection - Soul, Funk, R&B, Rock, Jazz, 1 to 4 p.m.

Other events

Bring your family and your creativity and play Morphology, where participants get to carry around wood people three feet tall, roll rain barrels and play with rope to get your teammates laughing and guessing.

Also in the park will be a return of the Living Statues on Saturday and Sunday.

Fall flavors include a sampling from Carbone’s Pizzeria, Urban Olive & Vine, Hudson Bagel & Coffee Co., Stockwell’s Maple Treats, Two Rivers Kettle Korn, Viking Coca-Cola, K and C Concessions, and LocoVores.

New this year is “The ART OF….” Live 45 minute demonstrations and hands-on activities add to the creative experience.

For more information contact the Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau at (715) 386-8411 or www.hudsonwi.org.

Sponsors of the festivities include:

Platinum: Associated Bank, WESTconsin Credit Union, Hudson Hospital & Clinics and Walmart.

Gold: Xcel Energy, County Market, Viking Coca-Cola, Steiner Plumbing, Electric & Heating, Inc. and Lommen, Abdo, Cole, King & Stageberg, P.A.

Silver: Pier 500, General Beer, American Sky Beer by Hudson Brewing Company LLC and First State Bank & Trust.

Bronze: Citizens State Bank, SEASONS on St. Croix Gallery, Hudson Independent Business Association, San Pedro Café, Barker’s Bar & Grill, Massage Envy-Hudson, Sam’s Club and Family Fresh Market.

Tags: lifestyle, arts, entertainment