ArtsFete puts month-long ArtsFest into motion

BENTONVILLE — Downtown Bentonville Inc. opened its month-long ArtsFest with a whale of a party on the lush grounds and gardens of the historic Peel Mansion  and Heritage Gardens on Thursday night (May 31).

Out with the shriveled blossoms of spring and in with the vibrant colors of summer and the 2012 ArtsFest, featuring an exclusive ArtWalk preview show, food by Kelly and Wade Jones of Basil’s Cafe and music by Lagniappe.

Lagniaappe delivered just as the name suggests: a little something extra — and then some. Genine “Miss Poetry” Perez and the rest of her band covered some of the most unforgetable classic by the great R&B artsists of our time: Al Green, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gay, Stevie Wonder and more.

DBI is an organization in which it pays to be a member. Tickets were $50 per members and $75 more for  nonmembers. And as an added perk, Trike Theatre on N.W. 2nd St. provided complementary supervised creative programming for children 3-12 during ArtsFete.

 Artists provided an array of paintings and watercolors, as well as ceremics and jewelry, much of which can be seen during Friday Night’s (June 1) Art Walk on the Bentonville Square.