The Royal Palm Art & Music Festival is back for its third year Saturday and Sunday, March 10 and 11. There is no admission charge, and Royal Palm Beach Blvd. will be filled with colorful art, musical entertainment and more.
Festival activities include street painting, two fireworks shows, a chicken-wing-eating contest, musical performances, arts and crafts, carnival rides, food vendors, a business expo, street performers, kayak races and a beer garden.
“It’s free to the public, and everybody can come out and enjoy most of the activities at no cost,” Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce CEO Jaene Miranda said. “They can look at the street art, listen to the entertainment, or enjoy free face painting for the kids, or a scribble area for them to be able to do their own little chalk painting. It’s a great place for families to come, with activities for both young and old.”
A big draw for the event is the street painting, which will set the boulevard aglow with chalk creations. Nearly 200 street painting artists will be featured, making the southern tip of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. the area’s largest artist canvas.
Stage performances will include a tribute band showcase on the main stage set for Saturday, March 10 beginning at 3:40 p.m. with Turnstiles’ tribute to “the Piano Man,” Billy Joel. At 5 p.m., the Marshall Brothers Band will perform a tribute to the Allman Brothers, followed by Sigmund Floyd’s tribute to Pink Floyd at 7:30 p.m. and the Storm Riders’ tribute to the Doors at 8:50 p.m.
The chamber works with local volunteers to recruit both amateur and professional bands. “Music provides the energy to any festival — it sets the mood,” Miranda said. “Our musicians will provide jazz, blues, classic rock and country.”
Other bookings include J.D. Danner, a New York girl who likes to rock out Southern style.
In addition to the main stage, the festival includes a community stage that features local performers from area schools, dance studios and after-school programs. Businesses and community organizations will have booths set up to show what they do in the community.
Other activities include the “King of Wings” contest on Saturday and Sunday. Kids who are into cooking can participate in an edible art kitchen program on Sunday, which is open to children of all of ages.
The young ones can also enter the annual Pirates & Princess Contest scheduled for Sunday at noon. All contestants will get a prize.
The dog-friendly festival will also have a pet look-alike contest on Sunday. Pets and their owners can compete for prizes awarded for the first three places.
Kayak races will be held Sunday, with heat competitions leading up to the final race of the day.
There will be a fee for carnival rides, which will be set up on the west side of the festival grounds adjacent to the Royal Inn and TD Bank.
Miranda said she is most excited about the addition of a fireworks display. Zambelli Fireworks will present two fireworks shows Saturday night over Lake Challenger. Viewing times are at 7:10 and 9:50 p.m.
Sunday is the time for people to come see the finished street art.
“On Saturday, the artists are just working on their drawings and generally finish up on Sunday,” Miranda said. “We invite people to come out after their Sunday brunches. It doesn’t cost you a cent to get in and just walk around and get a little exercise.”
Since the event is free, most all of the cost to put on the festival is generated by sponsorships and in-kind donations, Miranda said, although the chamber operates a refreshment stand whose revenue goes toward the festival, and it charges a fee for exhibitor tents. It also receives a small portion of the carnival ride fees. Miranda expects that the event will pay for itself, but is not expected to turn a significant profit.
However, more than 20,000 people are expected over the two days if the weather cooperates. Travel Links will provide three air-conditioned buses for shuttle service from the parking area at Lamstein Lane to the festival.
The festival will open Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. Saturday and at 7 p.m. on Sunday. The carnival rides will be open on Friday night starting at 5 p.m.
The two-day event will close down Royal Palm Beach Blvd. from Southern to Seminole Palms Drive. Detours will be posted.
More information about the festival is available at www.royalpalmbeachfestival.com or by calling (561) 790-6200.
