Almost Fringe Festival Returns To Point Arena. April 23. Try not to have fun!
As Monty Python was fond of saying, "And Now For Something Completely Different". And Almost Fringe is that. Different. And a lot of fun. Saturday, April 23 will bring live music, art and photography shows, a crafts fair, whales, kids' activities and plenty of local cuisine.
A day devoted to fun for young and old, from 10:00am to 6:00pm (and some beyond 6pm!) And the fun goes way past Main Street, with activities for young and old. Whales have promised to swim past both the Point Arena Lighthouse and Arena Cove. Almost Fringe is not to be missed.
Loosely based on the International Fringe Art Movement, there will be live music, art and photography shows, a crafts fair, performance art, participatory creative events and activities for kids, as well as amazing local cuisine.
This year’s festival kicks off at 10:00am with the Wind & Whale Celebration at the Lighthouse and gentle Yoga in the park, led by Sutra Yoga’s owner Emily McConnell. At the Lighthouse see the Giant Kites flown by the Berkeley Kite Wranglers, and watch the migrating whales while learning about them from whale experts Scott and Tree Mercer. They will have displays of baleen whale artifacts and answer questions about the marine mammals. The Light Station Store will be offering sale prices on whale related gifts and other items.
From 10:00am-5:00pm the library is encouraging everyone to tap into their inner creative muse and express themselves. Create music on a Theremini, blackout a printed page to create poetry, paint expressionist art to music, or chalk up the pavement with wild designs! Stop by and meet our creative new librarian, Mellisa Hannum.
Across the street at Centennial Plaza there will be a variety of performances. At 1:00am enjoy excerpts from a Point Arena High School upcoming play, Clue. At 2:00pm experience a sound healing bath and mini-healing sessions, at 3:00pm watch the talented Folklorico Dancers, followed by Soap Box Poetry at 3:30pm which is open to all poets and spoken word artists. Action Network will be at the park behind Outback involving kids in art projects, bubble blowing, face painting and more from 12:00 – 2:00. Arena Theater will be showing a National Theater Live Telecast of ‘Book of Dust” at 1:00pm .
The Zen House is hosting a Fringe Motorcycle Gathering at 1:00pm, which begins with a Fringe Motorcycle Parade led by motorcycle collector Peter Richardson on his very collectable 1974 Ducati Super Sport. Following the Fringe Motorcycle Parade, enjoy the Zen Motorcycle Display “Ducati Bevel Twins of the 70’s” while engaging in informal discussions with special guests Quail Motorcycle Gathering Judge, Will Guyan (Former editor of BMW’s On The Level) and motorcycle collectors Peter Richardson and Garry Willy.
Live Music will be playing at Coast Highway Art Collective, Think Visual, Arena Market and Café, with wandering minstrels up and down Main Street, and a grand finale with Buckridge Racket Club from 4:30pm to 6:30pm at the pier. Will there be jugglers and clowns on Main street? Bring your family and smiling face and come find out!
Coast Highway Art Collective will be open from 10:00am-6:00pm with a celebratory opening reception of art by member and guest artists. (See complete details in a sepoarate story on this page.)
Arena Market and Café is celebrating the Almost Fringe Festival with gift basket give a ways, food samples all day, and wine tasting from 3:00 – 5:00. Members will receive an additional 5% discount and music will fill the market with Wildheart playing from 1:30-3:00pm followed by Tim Mueller from 3:00-5:00pm.
In the parking lot next door to the Arena Market you’ll find a Farmer’s Market, a Plant Exchange and Seed Give Away, food vendors, as well as a Live Art Painting Demonstration by renowned muralist, Art Goddess Lauren Sinnott.
Other fabulous food offerings will be available to satisfy the festival goer’s appetite. You’ll find Point Arena’s newest eatery Gama serving Bento Boxes to go from 11:00am-6:00pm, followed by Small Plates and Karaoke form 5:00-9:00pm. Center Street Market will have a special boba drink and sandwiches, while The Good Food clubs serves up locally sourced yumminess in their parking lot. Delicious fringy pastries will be found a Franny’s Cup & Saucer.
Don’t miss the Crafts Fair at the Druids Hall from 11:00am-5:00pm with familiar returning artists like Nicolette Kaliebe with her hand painted purses , bags, and Siobohn’s scarves, Marla Skibbens with her inspirational glass jewelry, Albion Farmers Market soaps and shampoos, and Bill and Barbara Pettigrew with handmade knives and beaded necklaces. There will be succulents and abalone jewelry, gifts for kids, and more!
Over flow parking will be at the wharf where the Pier Chowder House will exhibit photos by two brothers. A yet to be announced mystery art and landscape interactive event is being planned and there will be roller skating and the musical finale. We plan to have a shuttle this year running between the lighthouse, Main St and the wharf where there will be plenty of parking.
Complete the Fringe-EE Day by heading down to the pier for the sunset. After grooving to the tunes of the Buckridge Racket Club from 4:30-6:30pm, move uptown to Gama for small plates and get your karaoke on until 9:00pm. A complete schedule is at PointArena.net.
