Festival Fridays is back at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center for its 30th birthday starting July 9, and will continue until Aug. 6.
Festival Fridays is a fundraiser for the Sange de Cristo Arts Center, that mainly focuses on music, and features an outdoor concert series, said Nicki Hart, the marketing manager for the Arts Center.
“It’s a nice outdoor art thing to do in the summer time,” Hart said. “It’s definitely a premier cultural event for Pueblo that supports the Arts Center and the arts education.”
During the next several events, bands will be coming to Festival Friday’s to offer a good variety of music Hart said.
Hart said for Festival Fridays they want to show local talent when it comes to bands, and that they try to focus on this area as well.
Kicking off the Friday series on July 9 is Wallace Cotton & the Royals, which offer R&B and funk music from a press release submitted by the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center.
On July 6, returning Festival Friday’s favorite Daniel Cordova y Esperanza will be bringing their Tex-Mex sound all the way from New Mexico, the Arts Center said.
On July 23, the Rock Creek Road band from Denver will be making their Festival Friday’s debut bringing with them a mix of alternative rock, contemporary country, and driving dance beat, the Arts Center said.
On July 30, the thirteen-piece band Funkiphino (funk-if-I-know) from Denver will be performing a family-oriented type of concert, Hart said.
While on Aug. 6, long-time Festival Fridays performer, The Martini Shot, will conclude this year’s summer series, from a press release submitted by the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center.
In addition to all the music played at this year’s Festival Fridays, there will also be food available, as well. Hart said two vendors, Ortiz Catering and Solarroast, will be available at the five events.
Ortiz Catering offers Mexican food, and is affordable Hart said, while Solarroast offers a lot of different grilled items.
Hart also said a full bar will be available as well, which includes the popular beers of Tecate, and Dos Equios.
With a big event like this happening in Pueblo every year, you can expect huge crowds. Hart said there is also dancing room to and is open to all ages, but the only thing there really is for kids to do are the concerts.
Festival Fridays usually draws a crowd of about a thousand every night. There will be security at every Festival Friday’s, and it is secured and gated off.
A new thing that Festival Friday’s is doing now is having high school reunions go on during the event. This year the Pueblo Central class of 1980 will be having their 30th high school reunion at Festival Friday’s, Hart said.
Hart said that there is usually a private section for the high school reunion, and the band will give a shot-out to them.
“All in all, it’s just a fun time for your summer and it’s safe,” Hart said.
Tickets for each Festival Fridays event are five dollars if you purchase them when you go to the event, but is you go to the Art Center’s box office and get them in advance, they are only four dollars.