Festival Weekend Wire

Chef Marcel Vigneron Three art festivals underway in Laguna Canyon through Labor Day offer an entertaining showcase of visual and performance art.

While the main event remains the creative output of hundreds of exhibiting artists, visitors can also take advantage of an array of art workshops, demonstrations and live performances offered at each venue.

Locals receive free admission all summer at the Festival of Arts and Art-A-Fair. At the Sawdust Art Festival, locals get in free after 5 p.m. Thursdays and the first Friday of the month. Friday, Aug. 22

Sawdust Art Festival: The season's second Aloha Friday theme day welcomes the first 500 festival guests with free Hawaiian leis. For kids the Children's Art Spot has a tropical fish art project from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. From noon to 4:30 p.m., Jerome Gray Trio jams Hawaiian music with Polynesian dancers on the main stage, followed by reggae band Laguna Beach Waterhouse at 5:30 p.m. til closing. Acoustic pop Rob Eller performs from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the food court tavern, followed by Robby Longley playing world jazz at 5 p.m. Will and Sarah Brady's blues holds down the lower food court grill in the afternoon, followed by acoustic musicians Johnelle Walker and Gary Shapiro at 5 p.m. In addition, for roving fun, the Balloon Diva puffs up latex creations from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Anthony the Magic performs trickery with a family magic show.

Heart & Soul plays Motown covers. Art classes are offered at three permanent booths from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Ceramicists Walter Reiss and Bruce Linder teach pottery making in the Mud Hut; children ages 5 to 8 can create their own art and craft at the Art Spot; and day and evening classes are offered to adults in the Sawdust Studio.

Glass blowing demonstrations by festival artists are at 10 a.m., 4 and 7 p.m.

Festival of Arts: Dirk K Trio play contemporary jazz fusion from 6 to 8 p.m. A scratch art class is offered from 11 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. and printmaking taught by Enrica Marshall from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Neil Harris Art-a-Fair: Art demonstrations held each Friday. Saturday, Aug. 23

Festival of Arts: Early closing at 2 p.m. for a special event. The 10th annual Pageant of the Masters gala benefit with a special host, Golden Globe and Emmy nominated actor Neil Patrick Harris. The event is sold-out.

Anne England teaches a mono-printmaking workshop from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Art-A-Fair: Afternoon delights of upbeat jazz and vocals hit the stage from 1 to 4 p.m. Later get down to Motown with Heart and Soul from 6 to 9 p.m.

Sawdust Festival: Roving balloon artist and live music beginning at 11:30 a.m. til closing. Latin jazz by Iliana Rose sizzles with a hot start on the main stage, making way for American rocker Bixby at 5:30 p.m. In the food court tavern hub, singer/songwriter Michelle Mangione croons; Kerry Getz offers contemporary at 5 p.m. At the south-end grill, folk rocker Brooke Ramel entertains, closing with country and folk by Anna Marie. Sunday, Aug. 24

Festival of Arts: Fans of Bravo TV's "Top Chef" can see season two runner-up chef Marcel Vigneron from 1 to 2 p.m.

John Heussenstamm Blues Quartet performs from 2 to 4 p.m. followed from 6 to 8 p.m. by local favorite Jason Feddy covering Beatles classics.

Gayl Foley teaches watercolor classes from 11 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Printmaking from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; relief printmaking from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with Noriho Uriu. Hedy Buzan and Lindsay Buchman teach watercolor monotype on glass from 4 to 8:30 p.m.

Sawdust Festival: A balloon artist crafts creatures strolling the grounds. Contemporary roots reggae exudes from Full Wattz on the mainstage from midday, while light rock by The Girls follows at 5:30 p.m. In the food court tavern, Lance Cosgrove rocks; at 5 p.m. things get hoppin' with Mary Coppin contemporary pop. At the south-end grill, the Sawdust artist video plays throughout the afternoon.

Art-A-Fair: A nice combo platter of variety and jazz fills the air with Jazz Attack from noon to 3 p.m. followed by jazz artists Fuzzi Logic from 4 to 7 p.m.

For Festival of Art information, call 494-1145 or go online to www.foapom. com

For Sawdust Festival information, call 494- 3030 or go online to www. SawdustArtFestival.org.

For Art-a-Fair information go online to www.art-a-fair.com, or call 494-4514.