With the 60th Marblehead Festival of the Arts set to kick off in earnest Wednesday, crews and volunteers are in overdrive installing stages, testing sound systems and preparing venues across town — all while organizers keep a close eye on an incoming heat wave.
At the heart of the live music setup, Concerts at Crocker coordinator Brian Wheeler said 25 to 30 volunteers are working to get the performance space ready in time for opening night. The series kicks off Wednesday, 6 p.m., with duo Mason Daring and Jeanie Stahl, who have performed at the festival since the 1970s.
“We’ve got a great crew,” Wheeler said. “We’re honored to be able to present this to people at this time in our lives, at this point in our country.”
The Crocker Park stage (which is 20′ by 30′) is one of several key venues that will host performances during the multi-day festival, which draws artists, musicians and visitors from across the region. Check out the festival schedule HERE or grab the special section and calendar in this week’s Current paper.
While the technical buildout is on schedule, organizers are also preparing for extreme heat conditions forecast during the opening days of the festival.
Joe Tavano, a member of the festival’s board, said planning is underway to help keep attendees safe and cool as temperatures rise.
“We’re working on it. We’ll have fans in the buildings that have no AC,” Tavano said. “The Film Festival will be at the Warwick (Theater) which is air conditioned… We urge all festival goers to plan ahead, bring water, go slow, use the trolley and limit your time outside.”
The festival, a staple of Marblehead’s summer calendar, features art exhibits, live music, film screenings and community events spread across multiple indoor and outdoor venues.
