Summer Arts Festival At The Vanderbilt

By Patrick Keeffe

Summer Arts Festival Series Features Live Music, Live Painting on the Vanderbilt Mansion Lawn

The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s calendar will include the return of the highly popular Long Island Summer Arts Festival Series, inaugurated in 2012 by producer-musician Rich Rivkin as a benefit for the Vanderbilt Museum’s education programs. Musicians will include Beatles, Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin tribute bands.

The series, which takes place on the Great Lawn, west of the Vanderbilt Mansion, will begins with the Long Island Sound & Arts Festival on Sunday, June 30. All events will be held on Sundays and run from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m., rain or shine.

The number of tickets is limited and early ticket purchase is strongly recommended. Tickets ($20 per person) for all events may be purchased at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org. (Go to Home page and click on Special Events.)

Food will be available for purchase. For more information, contact Rivkin at rich@jazzfusion.tv

Last summer, the series drew huge, enthusiastic crowds. Amid the greenery and spectacular views of Northport Bay and Long Island Sound, visitors lounged in the shade, ate picnic lunches, and enjoyed watching artists paint to live music created by local bands.

Rich Rivkin said, “This summer’s Long Island Sound & Arts Festival brings together several of Long Island’s most loved bands, along with 75 artists painting live, overlooking the gorgeous scenery at Vanderbilt. Your eyes and ears will thank your brain!”

SUMMER ARTS FESTIVAL SERIES SCHEDULE

Sunday, June 30 – Long Island Sound & Arts Festival 2
This day of live music and art features artists painting live to the inspiration of Stanton Anderson Band, Liverpool Shuffle (Beatles tribute), Reckoning (Grateful Dead tribute), Black Dog (Led Zeppelin tribute), Teddy Kumpel Loopestra, and soloist Elana Rivkin.

Sunday, July 14 – MarleyFest
A day of live reggae and art with 50 artists painting live to music created by The RBC, Hylton B and The Energy Force Band, Roots Revelators, and Nonstop To Cairo.

Sunday, August 11 – North Shore Blues Festival
Fifty artists paint live to blues music by Kerry Kearney, Willie Steel Band, Hooch and The Bluesicians and Josie Wales Band.

Sunday, September 8 – Grateful Fest 2
Live Grateful Dead music, with 50 artists painting live, inspired by The Electrix, Half Step, Reflections and Unbroken Chain.

Sunday, September 29 – Jamboozi Festival
Fifty artists will paint live to the sounds of Miles to Dayton, The Electrix (Grateful Dead tribute), Abraxas (Santana tribute), Ken Talve Trio, and soloist Elana Rivkin.