Headliner band Salsa Caliente and Grammy-nominated trumpeter Bobby Rodriguez appearing with the CSUSB Latin Jazz Ensemble will treat the ears, while dozens of professional and budding student artists will offer a feast for the eyes at Cal State San Bernardino’s annual Arts & Music Festival today, Friday, May 13.
The free event runs from 4-9 p.m.
Venues for AMF will stretch from the university’s Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art, down Camphor Way to the John M. Pfau Library and all the way to the Lower Commons Plaza, where Salsa Caliente will play.
The scents of food will drift throughout the festival grounds. Set to sell are JoJo’s Grill-a-Dog; Kettle Tyme, which sells kettle corn and funnel cakes; Carl’s Hawaiian Shave Ice, also offering Polish kielbasas; and Family First, cooking tacos and corn on the cob.
AMF will offer cultural activities for all ages, including a juried art walk displaying local and student artists’ work in all mediums, live demonstrations in glass blowing, ceramics and forging.
“We’re opening the studios to let people experience the process of creating art. Seeing it from its inception can really make a difference in an art lover’s experience,” says Nate Dubbs, glass blower and one of the founders of AMF.
Celebrating CSUSB’s 50th Anniversary, RAFFMA will host “Time + Place: 47 Years of Art Faculty at CSUSB.” The exhibition will feature the artwork of more than 30 past and current university faculty spanning 47 years of teaching and creating.
Music fans will enjoy listening and dancing to bands performing on two stages at the fest.
Renowned Latin jazz band Salsa Caliente will close the music portion of AMF. Band leader Alberto Gonzalez has performed with artists such as Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Ray Barretto and Willie Colon. He has played Dodger Stadium, Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, The Comedy Store, the UK Salsa Congress, El Flamingo in New York and at Jelly’s in San Francisco, to name a handful of the venues his band has played around the world.
Before Salsa Caliente, the CSUSB Latin Combo (10-piece band), will open performances in the Lower Commons, followed by the CSUSB Latin Jazz Ensemble (big band) with guest artist Bobby Rodriguez.
On the stage at parking Lot M near RAFFMA, the Santos Manuel Student Union Program Board will present the “Best of the Bands” show. Musicians will compete and guests will be invited to vote for their favorite band. The winner will be featured at the annual CoyoteFest, which is the students’ end-of-the-year celebration.
A children’s area with arts and crafts will inspire kids to let their imaginations roam, while the Pfau Library will feature chalk art and a library exhibit. The CSUSB Health Center will offer Mandala coloring and guided meditations to help guests learn the art of relaxation. And, of course, Flash mobs from the theatre department may appear at any time.
The event is free to the public with free parking in Lots C, D and L.
For more information, go to the Arts and Music Festival page on Facebook or call (909) 537-7360 for event information.