About the Festival

From the Co-Chairs

Greetings:

As Co-Founders and Honorary Co-Chairs, we welcome you to the 9th Annual Pawtucket Arts Festival.  Its modest debut in 1999 marked the beginning of the City of Pawtucket’s efforts to establish an Arts & Entertainment District and an arts community.  Since our beginning, the arts festival has grown international in scope and regional in appeal. People from all over New England, even from across the country, and beyond, now flock to Pawtucket to enjoy annual favorites such as the Dragon Boat Races, the Mirror Image Film Festival, and the Rhode Island Philharmonic “Pops in the Park” concert.  We are also pleased to bring in new artistic talent to showcase. This year we are pleased to see the Paw Sox step up to the plate, hosting our kick-off concert: featuring the Counting Crows, Collective Soul and Live.  Most of our events are either free or at modest cost and are designed to appeal to all ages.

Of course, there are several things that makes our annual arts festival an overwhelming success each and every year.  First, we have the strong commitment of the volunteers, businesses and the City of Pawtucket who invest in their community by donating time and money to make it all possible.  Without their continued efforts, generosity and support, the family friendly Pawtucket Arts Festival could not continue.

However, the festival is also a success and continues because of you, the people who travel to our City to “experience the arts” at the array of arts and musical events that are held throughout the community.  Last year almost 50,000 individuals came to enjoy the world-class arts programming.   Our three weeks Arts Festival enabled hundreds of artists to sell their one-of-a-kind art work in their studios, at the Arts Fest at Slater Park and at galleries throughout the City.
Thank you all for your continued support.  We look forward to seeing all of our old friends at this year's festival and meeting many new friends who will enjoy the festivities for the first time. Enjoy the many artistic and musical venues!

Sincerely,

Peter & Kristine Kilmartin
Co-Founders & Honorary Co-Chairs