By Mike Kinney
The community will celebrate local art, music and businesses at the family-friendly 3rd Annual East Richmond Heights Art & Music Festival this Saturday, July 6.
More than 25 booths will line the street and nearly a dozen bands will perform on a stage built by Leonard Sweet (whose Elm Street Blues Band will perform) at this year’s festival, which will take place from noon to 5 p.m. along two blocks of Bernhard Avenue (in front of the Gyuto Foundation Tibetan Monastery, 6401 Bernhard Ave.).
This year’s event was organized by Armando Epifani, known locally for the computer synchronized “Christmas Lights on Nome St.”
Entertainment coordinator Justin Ratz supplied the following schedule of entertainers and performers on the stage under the huge Oak tree as follows:
12:00pm-12:15pm: Opening & Welcome with Gyuto Foundation
12:15pm-12:35pm: Eileen Hazel
12:40pm-12:55pm: Nkan
1:05pm- 1:30pm : Gadung Kasturi Music & Dance of Bali
1:40pm- 2:10pm : Liza Silva-Voz do Brazil
2:20pm- 2:40pm : Breedloves Acoustic Duo
2:45pm- 300pm : Sons of Pearl
3:15pm- 400pm : Elm Street Blues Band
4:15pm- 5:00pm :The Secret Identities
5:00pm- 5:30pm : Uncle Joey Community Drum Circle
“This will be my third year volunteering to program and produce the East Richmond Heights Art & Music festival stage,” Ratz said. “It’s a joy and honor to work with so many talented friends and neighbors to create a lively, diverse, and engaging celebration of our neighborhood’s creative expression.”
Among the local artists set to display their arts and crafts is Richmond’s Tai Yee, who plans to display some of her still life paintings. Tai works in oils, pastels and water colors and also does prints.
Great artworks will be joined by equally great foods from local chefs, so come hungry.
Kids will have a blast, too. The popular miniature train and portable railroad will return to the festival from the Tilden Park Steam Trains, providing donation supported trips for all ages.
Richmond Fire Department will be passing out stickers and a fire truck will be available for photos from 1 pm-2 pm.
“What this means for our East Richmond Heights community and the community at large, has the ability to come together,” Armando Epifani said. “This event really means a lot to our neighborhood. It is so great to see all the people who come to the event interacting together. It’s a place where people can share their passion with our community. This a wonderful family oriented event, where everybody can kick back in the summertime weather and just relax. They can enjoy great music and food.” 
