SHIRLEY — The town has a full day of entertainment – singers, dancers, bands and magic – lined up at ShirleyFest, a family event intended to build support in the community for local arts education.
Scheduled for Sept. 9 on the Shirley Center Common, nonprofit arts organization ShirleyArts! is asking for those who feel strongly about arts education to attend or even become a part of the event. Even though less than two weeks away, they are still encouraging those from Shirley and beyond to become a vendor at the event.
In addition to the array of entertainment choices, ShirleyFest will also feature craft booths for adults while offering activities for children. With representation from many town organizations, attendees also have the opportunity to become connected with other important local issues.
The all-day event will feature food booths with breakfast, lunch and dinner, all of which are run to benefit local nonprofit organizations. Taking place from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., admission is free as is parking. Use the address 40 Brown Road, Shirley, for navigation to the event.
Since its inception in 1989, ShirleyArts! has steadily grown to include more support for local arts education and the program organizers hope events like these will allow them to include more and continue to grow.
According to the nonprofit’s website, one new activity in recent years has been tap dance classes, which they hope to offer again as soon as they can find access to an appropriate space. ShirleyArts! would also like to add more classes for movement and voice, as well as visual arts, in the future.
The local arts group currently uses the Ayer-Shirley Regional Middle School auditorium and music room for performances, classes, and temporary storage, which has the added benefit of providing other local theatre groups with access to more theatre props.
Staff can provide application forms for anyone who would like to apply to lead an activity or take part in a certain kind of activity. ShirleyArts! is supported by the Festivals Grant Program, which is funded through the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
To sign up for a vendor booth – and you do not need to be a Shirley resident to do so – go to email@shirleyarts.info.
