If you look forward every year to getting your art on in McLean, you’re in luck. The 14th Annual MPAartfest is moving forward–just in a virtual way.
The 14th annual festival organized by McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) will take place October 4 through 18, with events including a juried fine art and craft show, performances from some of the DMV’s top musical talent, daily artist studio talks, a virtual version of the New Dominion Women’s Club Children’s Art Walk and other features from the town’s community organizations.
The event kicks off on Sunday, Oct. 4 with the MPAartfest Benefit Concert, which this year features two performances by Voices of Classic Soul at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the McLean Community Center parking lot. Made up of the lead singers of four legendary vocal groups–the Drifters, Four Tops, Platters and Temptations, the Voices of Classic Soul will highlight showmanship, classic dance movies and some of the most iconic tunes of all time like “The Way Your Do the Things You Do,” “Get Ready” and “Under the Boardwalk.” Tickets for the two drive-in style concerts are $25 each and are available here. Attendees will be parked in every other space and remain in or on their cars.
During the Art+Music Moonlight Concert Series on Sunday, Oct. 11 and Sunday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m., Northern Virginia musicians Véronneau, Project Locrea, Sean Heely Trio, Yasmin Williams, Wesley Diener and Griefcat will perform in two free live-streamed concerts in collaboration with Falls Church performing arts organization Creative Cauldron.
The virtual edition of MPAartfest will be the first to offer an online art sale and show with the work of more than 50 artists for sale in their individual virtual galleries; Northern Virginia artists include Ernesto Ulibàrri of Reston, Jill Banks of Fairfax and Lori Katz of Springfield. The schedule is still being finalized, but participants will be able to learn more about the artists’ inspiration and experience during lunchtime interviews and evening streaming events.
McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) is one of the mid-Atlantic region’s most renowned contemporary visual arts organizations, offering high-quality art exhibitions of established and emerging artists, education programs, art classes and camps and ArtReach, serving students, seniors and individuals with special needs. MPAartfest admission is free for all online events.
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