Lafayette Art & Wine Festival returns Sept. 17-18 for 25th anniversary
By Jennifer Wake
One of the biggest draws to downtown Lafayette returns Sept. 17 and 18, with four stages and over 20 bands, 300 artist and craft booths and four kid zones as part of the 2022 Lafayette Art & Wine Festival produced by the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the city of Lafayette and Eckerstrom Productions. Complimentary bike valet parking will be offered at 81 Lafayette Circle and there will be free shuttle rides from the free festival parking in the BART parking lot.
"I'm very excited about this year's festival," Brian Aiello, Festival Entertainment Chair since 2000, said. "I feel so fortunate that we are able to host an event like this that has such a wonderful history of great music, outstanding art, and a beautiful setting that is truly second to none. We'll have bands that have been performing with us for over a decade, along with some new sounds that I think people will love to see and hear."
Appearing for the first time this year will be New York Jazzman Kyle Athayde "who is putting together an awesome set with some heavy cats that will really get some attention; Maroon Vibe - a Maroon 5 tribute - will be pumping out some fun and contemporary pop, and golden-voiced Matt Owens will be belting out Eagles hits with his band Midnight Flyer," Aiello said.
"Of course there will be our anchors (because after all, no Lafayette Art & Wine Festival could be complete without them): Spazmatics (is there possibly a more fun show - I think not), ZEBOP! with their faithful Santana tunes led by the incomparable Antonio Marquez, East Bay Mudd throwing down their great mix of funk and R&B (the only band I've seen that can get a conga line going at 2 in the afternoon!), and Lafayette's own Other Peoples' Money - OPM - that has been holding down the Saturday night closing spot for at least the last 10 years.
"All these plus so many more awesome bands that come together to make the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival the go-to festival!"
The Festival is family-friendly and dog-friendly. Well-behaved, leashed family dogs are welcome, but typically happiest during cooler - and less crowded - morning hours. Festival proceeds support local community programs like Lafayette Partners in Education ("LPIE"), and other nonprofits, but much of the Festival experience is free, including admission and all four stages.
Check the website for maps, music schedule and a current update on the safety policy at the time of the event. The Festival committee will follow all required health and safety procedures and requirements set by Contra Costa County and the State of California. https://lafayettefestival.com
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