Bright Lights Musicians Schedule Announced
CONTACT: Virgi Lindsay, Executive Director, 601-352-8850
Set among twinkling lights along historic Carlisle Street, five stages will feature local musicians during the end-of-the-summer celebration, Bright Lights, Belhaven Nights, 6-9 p.m., Saturday, August 16.
The street festival schedule is as follows:
• Inside Basil’s of Belhaven – 6-7 p.m., Noah Thompson; 7-8 p.m., Bob Gates
• Carlisle Street Main Stage – 6-7 p.m., Jackson Jug Revival; 7-8 p.m., Curves; 8-9 p.m., The Weeks
• Porch at 1020 Carlisle Street – 6-7 p.m., Tim Avalon & Friends; 7-8 p.m., Jim Kopernak & Howard Jones
• Outside New Stage Theatre – 6-7 p.m., Signals; 7-8 p.m., Los Buddies; 8-9 p.m., The Rounders
• Inside New Stage Theatre—6-7 p.m., Mississippi Improve; 7-8 p.m., St. Brigid’s; 8-9 p.m., Eric Stracener & The Frustrations
Bright Lights, Belhaven Nights has been named a Top 20 Event in the Southeast for the month of August by the Southeastern Tourism Society.
The street festival highlights Greater Belhaven, a unique near-downtown neighborhood. It is casual, family-fun event including exciting children’s activities, art, music, theatre and food.
“We are pleased that we are still able to provide an event for the metro area and beyond where a family of four can attend with such a reasonable cost” said Virgi Lindsay, executive director of the Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation (GBNF).
Admission to the festival is $3 for those 13 and older; $1 for children ages 12 and younger. Parking will be available at New Stage Theatre, along Belhaven streets and at the parking garage adjacent to Baptist Health Systems Medical Arts East at the corner of North and Carlisle Streets.
The festival begins at McDade’s parking lot and will extend up Carlisle Street to New Stage Theater. Within the festival there will be a children’s area which will include a balloon artist, train rides, space jumps, and arts and crafts. Children will also be invited to help paint a permanent mural designed by local neighborhood artists.
Vendors from the Belhaven Market will be selling a variety of items including foods, arts and crafts. Beverages, including soft drinks, beer and bottled water will be on sale as well. Belhaven merchants will be offering a variety of gifts and coupons as door prizes for all who attend.
Vidal Blankenstein is the featured artist of this year’s festival and her original artwork will be featured in festival promotions.
“This is a great way to enjoy a summer evening,” said Lindsay. “This is the most fun you can have in hot weather and not be in the water. It’s wonderful to come out on a summer evening to experience many fun activities for the entire family in our Capitol City.”
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The Foundation, which is a non-profit group governed by a board of directors with representation from Belhaven and Belhaven Heights, works to improve and revitalize the area through long-range planning, economic restructuring, historic preservation, green space enhancement, and improvement of Fortification Street, the major east-west corridor between the two neighborhoods.
Editor’s note: Images available upon request.