MIDDLETOWN — "All Aboard the Arts," a mini-arts festival, will be held on May 6th at the former Banfield Moving and Storage Warehouse from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to give residents a taste of the cultural, visual and performing arts available in Middletown and to solicit their input on future uses of the building.

The festival, located next to the Middletown Train Station, will feature short performances by the Performing Arts Ensemble, the cast of "Little Shop of Horrors" from Middletown High School North, a high school jazz band, the Monmouth Children’s Chamber Chorus and others. There will also be displays of quilts and winning works from the township’s art show as well as well as activities to keep children entertained. These will include hands-on arts and music activities, mural painting, and lessons in drawing caricature. Cookies and punch will be served.

"This mini-festival will be the community’s first opportunity to visit the former Banfield Moving and Storage warehouse, which has been purchased by Middletown Township and is being converted into a multi-use community and cultural center," said Committeewoman Rosemarie D. Peters, who has led the effort to increase the community’s access to arts programming. A survey will be available at the min-arts festival on which residents can write down their thoughts and suggestions about possible future uses for the facility. There will also be a contest to help name the building.The event is sponsored by the newly-appointed Middletown Arts Advisory Committee. The focus of this new 29-member volunteer committee is be to increase arts programming of all kinds, including visual and performing arts for residents of the township. Some of the programming this group would work on is likely to be housed at the future community and arts center.
Peters said that "the Township Committee will also be creating a non-profit Arts Council, which will increase our ability to raise funds to support future arts programming."

"The Township’s Committee’s philosophy in its recreation programming has always been to make as many opportunities as possible available to all our residents either at low or no cost," Peters said. She added that a non-profit tax exempt organization can qualify for grants that are not available to municipalities."
For more information, call Parks and Recreation at 615-2260. Free parking is available at the Middletown Train Station.

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