Celebrate! Lawrence University Arts Festival Features Music, Entertainment and Family Fun

APPLETON, WIS. -- The downtown College Avenue reconstruction project may make getting there a bit more adventurous, but Lawrence University's Celebrate! 2002 promises to still be a popular destination for family entertainment.

Celebrate! 2002, Lawrence's 29th annual spring festival of the arts, will be held at on the Lawrence campus in Appleton Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. With a focus on family-friendly fun, the event features an eclectic mix of live music on three stages, a lively family area with a diverse mix of performers and attractions and more than 180 arts & crafts booths offering a wide variety of hand-crafted and fine arts items for sale. Food and beverage concessions offer both international treats and Wisconsin favorites. The day-long festival is free and open to the public.

"We're very excited to be presenting our 29th spring festival dedicated to building community in the Fox Cities," said Paul Shrode, associate dean of students for activities. "The students have worked extremely hard to make this year's event a fun-filled day for the whole family."

The Wriston Stage, located in the amphitheatre between the Wriston Art Center and the Lawrence Memorial Union, will feature a mix of popular music groups from throughout the Midwest. Opening the stage at 11 a.m., Lawrence student David Cutright brings his own brand of electronic music to the stage with Intristic Society Recording, followed by Madison-based Trim Records artist Nee High at 11:45 a.m. Milwaukee band Growing Nation takes the stage at 1 p.m. followed by the Lawrence student band Bad News Jones at 2:45 p.m.

Growing Nation is a 10-piece soul, R&B and funk group from Milwaukee that performs a high-energy mix of original music inspired by its musical and ethnic roots. Bad News Jones performs live instrumental hip hop with beats that rely upon live performance and not upon DJ breaks.

The Chicago-based hip-hop band Daily Plannet featuring the Family Tree completes the stage starting at 4:30 p.m. Daily Planet, which has toured throughout the Midwest and Europe with All Natural, combines energy, intelligence and brash, pointed lyrics. Their much anticipated debut single "Still Phantoms" will be released shortly.

The Shattuck Stage, located on the Conservatory porch, provides an exciting blend of the best new and seasoned jazz performers from the Lawrence campus and beyond, as well as perennial community favorites. Back by popular demand, the Sambistas return for another year at 11 a.m. Salsa band Tony Castaneda Latin Jazz Quartet, voted Madison's favorite jazz band in 2001, takes the stage at noon, followed by Fox Valley favorite Cool Waters with straight ahead rock tunes. Oshkosh-based jazz vocalist Janet Macklin and her quartet entertain at 3:15 p.m.

Headlining the stage at 4:45 p.m. is Chicago jazz sax player James Rocco Gailloreto with Tim Davis on drums, Rob Amster on bass, and Steve Million on piano. Gailloreto has served as soloist with the Chicago String Ensemble, Symphony of the Shores, Arts Center Jazz Ensemble, Patricia Barber, Bill Russo and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble and Blue Note recording artist Kurt Elling.

The Plantz Stage, located east of the Memorial Chapel, opens at 11 a.m. with Breathing Machine. Rock act Spirit Creek, billed as Yahoo's Online Music Awards "best unsigned artist in America," takes the stage at 12:30 p.m. Spirit Creek has performed with Creed, Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, Filter, Bush and Days of the New.

Traditional five-piece blues band Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin Altar Boys performs at 2:30 p.m. Their independent CD "Slow Burn" has garnered excellent reviews and has sold out of the first six printings. The band features Reverend Raven from Chicago, Cadillac Pete Rahn from Milwaukee, Manitowoc native Spencer Panosh, Chuck Might and Drew Ritgers.

Closing the Plantz Stage is local group Sunday Flood performing melodic rock-and-roll. Featuring Mike Allen, Eric Krueger, Kevin Ritzke and Joe Schreiter, the band has released four CDs including 2001's "Advisory." They have performed hundreds of shows throughout the Midwest since forming six years ago.

Celebrate! 2002's Family Stage, located between Science Hall and Ormsby Hall, plays host to a variety of kid-friendly artists and activities. Dick Stader opens the stage at 9:30 a.m. with a scuba diving demonstration, followed at 10:45 a.m. by Chad Harkins and his puppet friends. Caricaturist Paul Merklein will demonstrate his art on stage at 11:45 a.m. in addition to drawing free caricatures throughout the rest of the day. Rick Kelley brings rock 'n' roll with a message for children of all ages to the stage at 1 p.m. and the clowns Babycakes and Sparkee light up the stage at 2:30 p.m. Magic in Motion performs juggling at 3:30 p.m.

In addition, there will be a petting zoo, pony and carriage rides, inflatable attractions, a miniature golf course and many other children's games and exhibits. A climbing wall, dunk tank, basketball game, duck pond and goldfish games, martial arts demonstrations and face painting are also scheduled. There will be roving artists practicing their craft throughout the day as well.

For more information about Celebrate! 2002, contact the Lawrence University Campus Activities Office 920/832-6600.