How do you produce one of the most successful art and music festivals in the entire southeast for 31 years running? Well, if you’re the Arts Council of Martin County you do it by tweaking and improving and listening to feedback so that ArtsFest blossoms into an event that no one on the Treasure Coast wants to miss! This year ArtsFest 2018, which takes place on February 10-11, offers innovative additions and returning favorites to ensure another blockbuster of a weekend.  The Rickie Report shares the details (Cracker, Stuart CHOPPED, wand building at the Kids Zone, Comedy, Live Music, Puppetry, Live Entertainment, and SO MUCH MORE!)

Saturday and Sunday,  February 10 & 11

10 am – 5pm  Both Days

Memorial Park  Stuart, FL

300 SE Ocean Blvd    Stuart, FL 34994

Tickets:  ArtsFestStuart.org

“Cracker”

Excitement spread fast with news that Cracker will appear on February 10. The duet’s co-founders Lowery and Hickman have a quarter century’s worth of hit music and sold-out live performances. Special guests Abby Owens and Big Pine open the show at 6pm.   Advanced tickets can be purchased online at ArtsFestStuart.Eventbrite.com or at Earthtones, 43 S.W. Osceola Street in downtown Stuart.

Stuart CHOPPED, Jake Reynolds, 2017 CHOPPED Winner

That event with good taste, Stuart CHOPPED, returns for its fourth annual Culinary Challenge! Sponsors include The Arts Council and Paul Nunley, Financial Advisor. Chefs scheduled to appear include Jose Peralta of Chef’s Table, Jason Maldonado of Ellie’s Deli and Cody Harvey of The Gafford.  Enjoy watching these masters of cuisine compete, preparing a gourmet meal from a mystery basket of ingredients, much like the popular TV show Chopped.

The preliminary is Saturday at 11 a.m.

The final showdown Sunday at 11 a.m.

Kids Zone

The wizarding world of Harry Potter takes over PNC Community & Kids Zone, with wand-building workshops, spell classes and more.  

Also for kids of all ages, Duck in the Truck will return with puppet-making mastery.

Atlantic Classical Orchestra will also charm the young ones with instruments made from everyday items.

You’ll laugh out loud at an updated presentation of “Friends Welcome,” which was an undisputed hit last year on the Literary Village stage. “Friends Welcome,

The One with All the Boxes,” will be performed at 1 p.m. both days.

Daily performances include Florida Aerial Dance and Circus Arts, a Tai Chi workshop with Floridians Fighting Falls on Saturday, and a Poi workshop with

Spread the Flow on Sunday starting at 10:30AM.

Among the other live performers, you won’t want to miss Main Stage acts include Ben Childs and the Wails, The Melinda Elena Band, The String Assassins, and more!

Over on the Literary Village Stage, singer/songwriters Deal James, Xander James, and Summer Gill and Eliza Novella will be holding forth.

ArtsFest takes place along East Ocean Boulevard and in Memorial Park, Stuart

 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on February 10-11

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the gate.

Call 772-287-6676 or visit www.martinarts.org for more information

For coverage of your events, to place an advertisement, or speak to Rickie about appearing in The Rickie Report, contact:

Rickie Leiter, Publisher

Rickie@therickiereport.com   561-537-0291

17019 SW Sapri Way   Port St. Lucie, FL 34986