Somerville's ArtBeat, somewhat like the Honk! Festival, is an opportunity to appreciate all manner of art—from poetry to music to dance to cartoons—in a fun community setting. This year's incarnation has a water theme, appropriate enough after the flooding and more flooding and threats of flooding we've seen so far this year.
The event starts Friday, July 16, with "Artbeat by Night," featuring some of our favorite local artists, including Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys and Death Vessel. Saturday brings us even more exciting acts, expanding to cover four stages and two additional activity areas—endless waves of activity (okay, we're reaching with the water puns here). The water theme also floats (ha!) the idea of pirates, and Saturday brings pirate making sessions and a pirate parade.
In the event of rain (which is forecast for Saturday), the events are pushed back one day. View the schedule below and after the jump or on the ArtBeat site.
JULY 16 — ARTBEAT BY NIGHT
Park Stage, Seven Hills Park (behind Somerville Theatre)
5:45 PM Books of Hope Authors read from recent works
6:00PM Jef Czekaj reads and raps
6:30PM Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys (music/theater)
7:30PM Debo Band (Ethiopian jazz/funk/pop)
8:30PM Death Vessel (indie/folk/rock)
9:30 PM Bearstronaut (synth-pop dance rock)
JULY 17 — ARTBEAT BY DAY
Park Stage, Seven Hills Park (behind Somerville Theatre) 12:00PM Tony the Bookie Orchestra (psych-country gospel) Elm Street Stage (corner of Chester and Elm Streets) 12:30PM Save Our Somerville/Teen Empowerment Somerville Theater 55 Davis Square (Dance Showcase) 1:00PM Hui Lehua 12:00PM The Moonship presents “A Pirate’s Life” (storytelling & sing-along) Statue Park & traffic islands in heart of festival All Day: “Totem Island,” an interactive exhibit using detergent and water bottles; “Hydro-Jamm,” an interactive musical and water display; numerous art activities for children 1:00-3:00PM Traveling Treasure Trunk (Statue Park) All day, 100 craft vendors and community organizations will line Elm and Holland streets and Seven Hills Park.
1:00PM Grupo Norteño (Tex-Mex)
2:00PM Nina Violet (Indie/folk)
3:00PM Obbini Tumbao (Cuban dance music)
4:00PM Macrotones (Afrobeat)
5:00PM Hands and Knees( rock/indie)
1:30PM Electric Mummy (punk rock)
2:30PM Sister Spaceman (blues/rock)
3:30PM Needy Visions (rock)
4:30PM Jatir & Raizes do Ritmo (Brazilian forró music & dance)
2:00PM EgoArt
3:00PM MonkeyHouse
4:00PM Anikai Dance
Elm Street Plaza (between Starbucks and Chipotle Grill)
11:30AM-2 PM Pirate Costume Making
2:00PM Arr, it’s a Pirate Parade!
3:00PM Zanyacts (Cirque du Soleil-esqe act)
4:00PM The Sunsetters
4:30PM massmouth
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