CHARLESTON, W.Va. — From the economic impact on the city to the emotional impact on individuals, FestivALL Charleston Director Brittany Javins knows just how important the annual June arts showcase for the Kanawha Valley really is.
Charleston’s FestivALL kicks off its 15th year on Sunday and will last until June 30.
Javins said the two-week event backs the non-profit organization’s mission of creating, producing and presenting vibrant art activities in Charleston.
“There is a vibrancy to the city, there are activities to do,” she said. “There’s arts to engage with. We try to have a lot of art in public spaces. Try to have a lot of affordable activities and even things that are free.
“It’s a way to highlight artists and uplift their message in our community as well.”
The opening day of activities features a full bill including a sunrise carriage trail walk with music, Jazz & Jambalaya at the Clay Center with food, and a downtown father/child putt-putt golf tournament.
A FestivALL-Star Concert on June 17 featuring the Davisson Brothers Band at Haddad Riverfront Park. It is being held in partnership with the West Virginia Power, who host the South Atlantic League All-Star game on June 18.
Other major events include the return of Mutts Gone Nuts on June 29, The Suffers performing the Mayor’s Concert on June 27, and a new artistic adventure in Brent Green’s surreal-multi-media performance A Brief Spark Bookended by Darkness.
Javins said with all the regional and national interest in the festival artists, it provides a great economic impact as well.
“People are spending money with artists,” she said. “They are visiting Charleston, staying in hotels, eating at our restaurants. There is a wide variety of impact there that we see from FestivALL.”
The full lineup of events including live music, visual art, public art, dance, theatre, humanities events, and more information can be found HERE.
“I love anything that brings art into a public space in a place that we might not otherwise expect it,” Javins said.
“I think it is a really interesting opportunity for people to engage in art who may not otherwise be engaging. It kind of brings it to life in a comfortable location for people.”