More to Discover at Summit Arts Festival This Weekend

With two days left, the first Discover Summit Arts Festival is turning into a success, organizers said.

"I’ve attended numerous events and posted photo albums on our social media site and met with various attendees at each event," spokeswoman Jean Criss said. "I’ve heard many positive comments from the public. They are pleased that Summit brought a festival of this type to the community and are hopeful we will do this again next year."

Most of the events in the week-long affair are just about completed, Criss told Patch, but added there is more to come.

"We still have other performing arts, visual arts and healing arts programs taking place through Saturday," she said. " The fact that most events are free to the public is encouraging to all attendees, and even the paid events are priced at a low-fee to encourage attendance."

Criss said there is no hard data yet on attendance figures. 

"Although each event has managed and been encouraged to track their individual attendance, we may not know total attendance until our post-mortum festival meeting," she explained. "However, I would guestimate that since the Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts kick-off event on Sunday, which drew hundreds of people from all over New Jersey to Summit on a hot sunny day, we’ve seen close to 750 to 1,000 people since then."

She said Wednesday night’s jazz concert at the Reeves-Reed Arboretum was especially well-attended, with about 75 people in attendance.

 Tickets, Criss said, are still available for this weekend's paid events.

"Most events on Friday and Saturday are free, with the exception of the Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre [performance] Friday night for $15 per person, the Authentic Argentine Tango School Saturday for $20 per person for an all-day pass and Saturday's Minuetto Music Finale Concert Saturday is $10."  

For details on the remaining program and obtaining tickets for Friday and Saturday's events, please go to visit the Discover Summit Arts website. 

And when the arts festival ends Saturday, the party isn't quite over for area culture fans, Criss said.

"There are four ongoing exhibits that will continue in Summit," she said. 

They are:

• “ART in the Window” will be featured in the windows of Hill City businesses all week
• The Summit Free Public Library exhibit of “Local Scenes” paintings, up through July 16
• “Passion Through Art – Winner’s Circle exhibition,” at Overlook Medical Center through July 16
• “Elements: The Sculptures of Tom Holmes,” on display at the Reeves-Reed Arboretum through Oct 31. 

Proceeds from ticket sales benefit the festival. Criss said those who wish to donate to the effort can send checks to: 

Summit Area Public Foundation/DSA
P.O. Box 867
Summit, N.J.  07902-0867