Madison Holiday Arts Festival Nov. 25 & 26

The 11th Annual Madison Holiday Arts Festival Expands to Two Days. Music, Dance, Visual Arts and Spoken Word

Forty-five events at 11 venues in Downtown Madison

Presented by the Madison Arts and Culture Alliance, the Madison Downtown Development Commission, and the Madison Chamber of Commerce.

Friday, November 25 (Noon-6 pm) and Saturday, November 26 (1-5 pm)

Musicians, dancers, visual and spoken word artists will be featured throughout the Borough of Madison until the traditional Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Madison Christmas Committee, makes its annual trek down Main Street. All events are free and open to the public.

The Museum of Early Trades and Crafts will serve as the headquarters and warming station, with an information booth and free hot cider. On Friday, the museum will host the Grace Church teen male a cappella group, the Gargoyles, pianist and poet Petra Schemmann, and The Eclectic Consort, playing a wide range of music on medieval and renaissance instruments. On Saturday, caricaturist Andrew Pungot will be drawing members of the public.

Grace Episcopal Church will serve as the Festival’s classical music hub on both days. On Friday, harpist Merynda Adams will play a solo set, and a later set with flautist Susan Glaser. John Pivarnik and Nan Childress’ set will feature four-hand piano compositions. Bob Butts, conductor and musical director of the Baroque Orchestra, will play his original songs and compositions, the day wrapping up with the popular quartet Simply Brass. On Saturday, the Grace Church a cappella Daughters of Zion will open the day, followed by a “Mini-marathon Advent Organ Concert” featuring John Pivarnik, Anne Matlack, and Ian Tomesch. Bob Butts closes up the day with an encore of his Friday performance.

Drip’s coffee-house setting on Friday will feature solo acts: singer songwriters Donna Ward and Patricia Doyle, as well as folk singer Jeff Webb. On Saturday, local favorites King’s Rd. start off the day, followed by singer-songwriter Christine De Leone, and the eclectic duo Truth & I. Drip’s ongoing gallery will be exhibiting unique photographs on canvas by the husband and wife team of Coco and Alin Tocmacov.

Short Stories Bookstore’s Friday lineup includes Madison’s Spotlight Kids performing selections from their musical Peter Pan, the Madison-based band favorite Rosewood, Latino musician Michael Aquino, and the acoustic-electric group Half Step Down. Solo acts Mike Sodano, Max Orsini, and Jeff Webb fill out Saturday’s lineup. The bookstore will also be running a gallery exhibit called Landscapes/Cityscapes, a multi-media art show curated by Jane Z. Quinn, featuring artwork by Aida Jones, Sally Lebwohl, Jeremy Moss, Gabrielle Moulding, John Sobala, Jennie Traill Schaeffer, and Jerry Troianello.

On A Roll will feature folk singer Rachel Schachter and classical guitarist Darren O’Neill on Friday, with Celtic folk singer Heather Mulvey playing two sets on Saturday.

The Presbyterian Church of Madison will host a Friday marathon of Music from the Madison Schools, sponsored by the Madison Music Association.

Additional Friday venues include: Studio Yoga hosting Dance Innovations’ annual selections from the Nutcracker; Poor Herbie’s, featuring singer-songwriter Star Barkman; The Hat Shop, featuring the music group One by 6, as well as original hand-made hats constructed by owner Monika Stebbins; Provident Bank will feature a warming station with hot drinks and snacks with caricaturist Andrew Pungot drawing members of the public. Friday evening wraps up at the world-renowned jazz club Shanghai Jazz, with the Jerry Vezza Trio playing a Jazz Christmas.

This once a year celebration will be held rain or shine. If you’d like more information, go to www.madisonartsnj.org , where you will find daily line-ups, searchable schedules, information on all of the acts, and a venue map.