Dueling Arts Festivals on the Left Bank

Harvard Square is hosting the Arts First/Mayfair Festival, while Somerville steps up with a massive collection of Open Studios. Who will win in a battle that pits aesthetes against…more aesthetes? Of course Bostonist will be in both places to observe the battle for best arts fair. Here’s a preview.

On Sunday, May 7 Harvard Square’s Mayfair boasts 4 music stages: the Main Stage by Out of Town News, the Holyoke Center features jazz & world music, the Club Passim Stage hosts the folkies and the NEMO stage spotlights local musicians. There are also street performers and a kid’s festival, but we’re mostly excited about the free music. Our picks (cause we love the lists):

Main Stage:
1 pm Ad Frank & The Fast Easy Women
3:45 - 4:45 pm Clem Snide (Solo Acoustic)
5 – 6 pm The French Kicks

NEMO Music Festival Stage (in Eliot Triangle):
3 pm Sand Machine
4 pm Blanks

Club Passim Stage (Church Street)
5 – 6 pm Antje Duvekot

Be sure to browse the Mayfair schedule. Harvard’s Arts First celebration will be going on all across the Harvard properties in Cambridge running today through Sunday. Check out the full Arts First schedule here.

Somerville’s foray into the competition begins Saturday at noon, runs until 6 pm with the same hours on Sunday the 7th. Somerville Open Studies (SOS) got all high tech on us and created an interactive google map. According to the map, if you live in Somerville, there’s a chance you’re next to an art studio, or seven. 340 artists at more than 110 locations are participating.

SOS is also issuing a challenge to anyone who can collect an artist signature from each designated area, or 10 signatures in total. You can mail your card in for a chance at raffle prizes (gift certificates from Beadventurous, Black and Blues, Cibeline, Soleil Café, movie tickets, or our personal fav, a half case of wine from Downtown Wine & Spirits). Take that, Cambridge!

Photo of Mayfair Chalk Drawing courtesy of C. Fernsebner.
Post contributed by Lora Valente