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Lexington Avenue fest draws eclectic group
by Mary Snow, take5 correspondent
published September 7, 2007 12:15 am
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ASHEVILLE – Grab your paint brush, put on your best and brightest feathered boa and head out for an artistic adventure this weekend on Lexington Avenue.
The Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival paints the heart of Asheville with a colorful range of performers that delight the artistic spirit of the
community.
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“LAAFF has evolved into a showcase of Asheville’s creative community with performers, musicians, healers, street performers and all different kinds of people in the community who want to come together,” said Erin Scholze, the festival’s music and performance chairwoman.
“It’s a huge community celebration that represents Asheville. It is all local, and it shows people what we really have to offer.”
Get artsy
Festival-goers can chill out at the underground arts show in the courtyard of Vincent’s Ear and watch belly dancers or head over to the interactive arts area and try their hand at puppet making or car painting.
Finding a place in the Guinness Book of World Records is another unique feature of the festival.
“Michael Mooney is going to break the world record and ride the world’s tallest bike for the Guinness Book of World Records,” Scholze said. “The
current world record is 19 feet, and Mooney’s bike stands at 40 feet.”
Other distinct attractions to the festival include Hula-Hoop lessons, black light
artwork, bicycle jousting and fire dancers.
Laura Edmonds, performer with the Unifire Theatre fire performers group, enjoys the crowd’s enthusiasm at LAAFF.
“It’s one of our favorite shows because everything always clicks at this festival, and I think it has to do with the great crowds that this festival draws,” Edmonds said.
The lineup
The pulse of this year’s festival is rapid with the beats of Asheville’s most diverse musicians.
“I try and make the lineup as diverse as possible,” Scholze said. “Someone might go to see the Rebelles and get opened up by another band to another type of music.”
The roar of the Firecracker Jazz Band leads the parade for the festival, where everyone can jump and jive their way across downtown.
Music fans can catch pickers from Jack of the Wood at a bluegrass jam at the Shady Grove Courtyard.
Other performers include CX1, the Big Money Band, the Trainwreks, Chalwa, Bandazian, Kellin Watson, the Plowshares, Nevada, Baraka Mundi, Asheville Bluegrass Allstars with Don Lewis, the Rebelles, Wicked Geisha, Hip Hop Revolution, Guerguerian, Benavides and Wolf and August Hoerr, Shane Perlowin and Avec la Force Percussion Ensemble.
