Enumclaw Music and Arts Festival to Fill the Air with Sounds of Music

Written by Susan Etchey

Historic Downtown Enumclaw will be filled with sights and sounds with an all day music and art extravaganza on Saturday, October 5.  Chalet Arts Showcase Theatre (CAST) brings 11 performing groups to two stages, and more than eight unique buskers (street musicians and performers) to storefronts on Cole Street. Art vendors will showcase their original works for sale and viewing.

This musical event is the first annual Enumclaw Music and Arts Festival and it kicks off at 9 a.m. with a FREE FOR ALL AGES event featuring children’s songwriter and singer Eric Ode in Concert. By noon, the adults and teens come out to play putting on dancin’ shoes and grooving to a variety of musical sounds of top regional and local performers until dusk at 6 p.m. Headlining the Festival is one of Enumclaw’s favorites, Palmer Junction. Popular throughout the Pacific Northwest and praised for their original rock n’roll and blues tunes, this incredible band performs on the theater’s inside stage at 3:30 p.m.

Acclaimed blues musician Mia Vermillion, performs inside at 2 p.m.  And according to All-About-Jazz’s writer Michael Bailey “Mia Vermillion has a big vocal presence. She sings with the wild abandon of Janis Joplin, controlled by the fluid precision of Bonnie Bramlett, the gusto of Big Mama Thornton and Bessie Smith. She infuses her singing with more humidity than Ma Rainey and more sex than Lena Horne”

Vermillion follows the Harmony Kings (barbershop) and the Craig Gammon Duo on the inside stage; the line up on the outdoor stage includes Ragin' River (country) at noon, followed by The Sooner the Better (pop) Alive on Fire (rock), uncle dans original recipe (bluegrass). The Bridge (mixed oldies) performs at 5 p.m. ending their set with their amazing rendition of Amazing Grace. 

The CAST-sponsored performance of children’s entertainer and author, Eric Ode, is a prime regional and national Arts Crush 2013 event. CAST is one of a hundred regional arts organizations selected to participate in Arts Crush. According to the Seattle-based Arts Crush website “Arts Crush is a collaborative, month-long arts and cultural festival aimed at Engaging Community, Creating Access, Inspiring Creativity and Building Arts Participation.” Many major arts institutions and corporations in this region sponsor Arts Crush, under the management of Theatre Puget Sound. Participation in Arts Crush includes assistance with marketing the Enumclaw Music & Arts Festival to a larger audience throughout Puget Sound.  

Art booths are outdoors as well as food and beverages. T-shirts are for sale. And you are welcome to bring folding chairs, too.

The entrance to the festival is 1721 Wells Avenue in front of the Chalet Theater. The entrance fee of $10 includes all performances inside. With a wristband you can come and go as you please and enjoy an exciting day downtown with family and friends. Funds go to the non-profit CAST to support its continued efforts and goal of providing performing arts live. Tickets are available at the gate.

CAST appreciates its sponsors: CCs Collectibles on Cole, Enumclaw Courier Herald, and 4 Culture.