Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival
Where
can you find live, non-stop, contemporary, traditional, classical, and folk
music on four stages for four days, right in your own backyard during a
holiday weekend? Twin Lakes Park in Greensburg is the place, and the event
is the 32nd annual Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival, presented this
year by First National Bank.
The festival takes place Saturday July 1 through Tuesday July 4th, and among
the many outstanding performers slated to appear is The Glenn Miller
Orchestra, that 69 year old phenomenon that revolutionized Big Band music
forever. And if you think the performers are hot, they are only a small part
of the wonders at this traditional, Westmoreland County event.
Almost 25% of the population of Westmoreland County attends this event each
year, said Donnie Gutherie, the Festivals Executive Director. We attract
6% of the region. Those incredible numbers are due to the wide range of
attractions and the stunning natural beauty of Twin Lakes Park. The Festival
includes the professionally jurored Westmoreland Arts Nationals, featuring
Pennsylvania-based, national and international artists. The Westmoreland
Poetry and Short Story contest is another demonstration of the Festivals
commitment to promoting the humanities, and provides an exceptional forum
for writers and poets to present their work to the public.
Dynamic programming designed for small children, youth and the young at
heart features art exhibits for students, poetry and short story
competitions, and readings. And, of course, the appearance of live llamas
and the petting zoo makes the Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival the
perfect place to bring the whole family for a summer celebration.
The
Artist Market represents a wide variety of professional craftspeople who
offer fine woodworking, jewelry, metalwork, stained glass, leather,
basketry, and ceramics, not to mention contemporary and folk art. The
selection and workmanship is dazzling, the choices incredible in this now
legendary Artist Market.
Food vendors pull out all the stops, serving everything from the traditional
summer favorites like kettle corn and fresh raspberry pie to delicious
Polish, Greek, and Thai cuisine. But where the lakeside event really rocks
is when over 50 performers pack the stages with old-time fiddling, polka,
oldies, bluegrass, country, and rock & roll. An extensive shuttle bus system
makes parking hassle free. This is a not-to-be-missed summer event, and we
hope to see you there!
The
Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festivals mission is to enlighten, entertain,
and enrich the community while preserving and demonstrating Pennsylvanias
rich historical and living cultural heritage. For more information,
including the latest up-to-date information, visit the website at
www.artsandheritage.com.