Family Fun: UWF Festival On The Green Continues

March 26, 2010

festival.gifThe University of West Florida Festival on the Green will celebrate its 10th anniversary  Saturday at the UWF Main Campus in Pensacola. The festival is free and open to the public.

The annual arts and crafts festival is back with 20 venues and events, including a motorcycle safety demonstration; the Children’s Festival March 27; Time Portal to the Past; Time Portal to Your Future (featuring different UWF departments, formerly known as UWF Showcase); dog agility demonstrations; the Native American Village; and NCAA Division II men’s and women’s tennis matches.

“This is our 10th anniversary and many of the same individuals who opened the reborn festival in 2001 are still on board the steering committee,” said Connie Marse, Festival on the Green co-chair and UWF director of publications. “Participation from the campus community and attendance has grown significantly since the festival was revived.”

The festival usually welcomes around 20,000 to the UWF campus, according to Jeff Comeau, Festival on the Green chair and assistant director of UWF Human Resources. “This year, considering the economy, we are hoping for even more attendance since we don’t charge admission and we are right in the neighborhood.”

Special appearances are promised by WEAR’s Christian Garman; Sam’s Fun City’s Bullwinkle; Yo-Yo D’Clown making balloon animals; Chick-Fil-A’s friendly cow; The Magic Man doing magic tricks; Pen Air Federal Credit Union’s Penny the Porpoise; UWF’s Argie; The Flip Factory cheerleaders and gymnasts; and singer Mike McCarton.

Entertainment: Acts will include Not Quite Fab, a Beatles tribute band; “Grease,” a UWF Theatre Department teaser; Mass Kunfuzion; UWF Juggling Club Demonstration; Touch of Blue; UWF Symphonic Band; UWF Singers; UWF Madrigals; and the UWF Jazz Band. On March 26, the festival will showcase UWF music and theater students, while March 27 will bring a variety of entertainment on three different stages.

festival22.JPGFine arts: Artists from throughout the region will display and sell their work on both days. In the juried show, festival judges will recognize: Best of Show, President’s Award, First Place Award, Second Place Award and Judges Award. On March 26, student artwork on display at the Fine Arts Show along Magnolia Row, featuring drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, sculpture and mixed media. Also, selected student art will be on display at the juried exhibit at the UWF gallery.

Motorcycles: Motorcycle enthusiasts from the Gulf Coast Chapter of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (A.B.A.T.E.) will be on hand with an array of bikes and to share motorcycle safety information.

Crafts fair: An assortment of crafts created, exhibited and sold by regional crafters will be on display. Find ceramics, wood, fiber, jewelry, toys and clothing among others.

Diversity stage: Various cultural and international artists will perform March 27. The highlight will be an appearance by South Pacific Luau and its energy-filled revue. Dances and sweet melodies of the islands of Hawaii, the visually stunning Poi-ball dance of New Zealand, the amazing fire knife dance of Samoa and the energetic hip-shaking routine representative of the island of Tahiti will take the audience on an entertaining journey.

Dog exhibition: The Five Flags Dog Training Club will return this year with exciting canine demonstrations presented by club members and their furry friends. At the Agility exhibition area, nimble pooches demonstrate their agile nature by following cues from their handlers through an obstacle course of jumps, tunnels and weave poles. Don’t miss the Country Canine Square Dancers or Pensacola’s first official Fly Ball team, the Panhandle Supersonics.

festival222.gifChildren’s Festival: Kids will enjoy arts and crafts, games and activities, magic, clowns and gymnasts during activities March 27. Games will include kidding bowling, tile painting and jigsaw puzzle making. The UWF organizations Marine Ecology Research Society and Explore Summer Programs will host a marine life touch tank, “fish print” art and other games.

For details about Festival on the Green including entertainment schedule and festival map, visit uwf.edu/festival or call (850) 474-3000.

Comments

Comments are closed.