Task 38 – Open Road Music + Arts Festival (Worcester, MA)

(38) Visit 10 Festivals of Fairs (03/20)
Festival: Open Road Music + Art Festival
Location: Worcester, MA

Website: http://www.openroadfestival.com/

When: September 10, 2011

Rating:  3-Stars

Today was the 1st Open Road Music + Arts Festival. It was held in Worcester’s Institute Park and is Worcester’s first sustainable and earth-friendly music and arts festival. It had over 30 Vendors and 11 Bands. The goal of Open Road is to raise the awareness of alternative and sustainable lifestyles while bringing the Worcester community (and beyond) together to enjoy local art and extraordinary music.

 I didn’t even know the festival was happening until a co-worker of mine called to tell me to come out and enjoy. Her boyfriend’s band was one of the groups performing in the festival’s lineup. Their group is called WHAT and they played a 30 minute set of great music. They played on the newly renovated main stage in Institute Park. It was under construction for a large portion of the spring and early summer. It was nice to see it being used and looking great.

The festival was definitely a very different festival. There was one vendor Vegware who specialized in sustainable packaging and utensils and others who sold nothing but organic clothing and apparel. Of course there was also the food vendors including Cedar’s who was there offering free samples of their humus and a new type of organic chips they are working on. Evo from the Living Earth was also there providing some of their organic creations many of which I have sampled in their dining room and love. Another interesting vendor was the Vegetable Circus who were performing with hula hoops and doing face painting. It was a very eclectic group of patrons including families, college students, hippes, and professional types alike. Everyone seems to have been really enjoying the entertainment and vendor offerings. I also think that many people turned out because they too believe in what the Festival’s organizers have stated as the principles of their group.

I hope to attend the 2nd Annual Open Road Music + Arts Festival next year.