(Chelsea Update would like to thank Bridget Favre for the information in this story.)
Chelsea Area Festivals and Events would like to thank the Chelsea area community for another successful season. The non-profit organizes the 11-week concert series “Sounds and Sights on Thursday Nights” as well as the three-day “Sounds and Sights Festival,” which promotes the presentation of and participation in quality performing and visual arts throughout the summer.
The events draw an estimated 20,000 visitors to the Chelsea area each year. A 2014 Tourism Impact Report estimates the events make over half-a-million economic impact each year.
“The 2017 Sounds and Sights season has been a big success, and we can already see the positive impact it has had on the community and local arts,” says Marketing Coordinator Bridget Favre. “We are thankful for the loyal support of our sponsors, local merchants, and the many volunteers who make Sounds and Sights possible.”
Throughout the 11-week run of Sounds and Sights on Thursday Nights, over one hundred entertainment acts performed throughout downtown Chelsea. This week, the finale includes some of the season’s best music and family entertainment.
Americana duo, Escaping Pavement, will be providing music at Katie’s Korner on the library lawn. Bill Bynum and Company perform bluegrass and country at the South Street stage, and singer-songwriter Lisa Marie performs at the East Alley stage.
The popular Americana-indy rock group, Cold Tone Harvest, is at East Middle Street and Bull Halsey showcases electrified blues on West Middle Street next to the West Side Gym. Students and teachers from School of Rock A2 perform at the Glazier building and The Dorkestra perform jazz under the Clocktower Gazebo.
Local duo, Sally and Ted, perform pop and country at the Chelsea Alehouse Brewery and new at the Kids Courtyard is children’s singer-songwriter Randy Kaplan.
In addition to the music, there is something for the whole family throughout the night including 3 Generations Entertainment balloons for the kids at the Main Street Alley and Chalk Art’s How to Chalk series beneath the clocktower. This week’s theme is “Take me to the Zoo.” At dust, SRSLY outdoor cinema presents “Hidden Figures” (PG) on the Clocktower lawn.
Thursday is also the start of the second annual traditional sidewalk sales, with bargains at merchants throughout town Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Unique Chelsea shops like Merkel Furniture and Carpet, Vintage Barn Boutique, La Maison, Moran’s Consignments, The Garden Mill, Violet and Moss and The Potting Shed will have specials that you can’t find anywhere else.
Sounds and Sights on Thursday Nights, presented by Golling of Chelsea, is able to offer free entertainment to the community thanks to over one-hundred sponsors, including the City of Chelsea, the Chelsea Downtown Development Authority, Golling Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Chelsea, Chelsea State Bank, Jiffy Mixes, Rick Taylor Real Estate – Reinhart, Andy Kellogg of Raymond James, Edward Jones, Cleary’s Pub, The Common Grill, Jeff Klink and Associates, Lehman and Scheffler Real Estate Services, Roberts Paint and Body, Smokehouse 52 BBQ, St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation, and LaJolla Fine Jewelry.
Events are also sponsored by: Chelsea Alehouse Brewery, Hardwood Solutions, Hatch Stamping Company, Heydlauff’s Appliances, Mitchell Family, O and W Inc., Rick Eder Agency, Silver Maples of Chelsea, Thrivent Financial Group- Chelsea Group, Robin Hills Farms, Kimber Zatkovich – Reinhart Real Estate, Washtenaw Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Parts Peddler Auto Supply – Chelsea, Healthy Smiles Dental Care of Chelsea, Jet’s Pizza, The Rumpus Room, Jackie Schiller and Suzanne Morrison, Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce, Chelsea Farmers Supply, Palmer Auto Service, River Gallery + Exhibits, Trinchero Family Estates, 7th Rule Accounting, Main Street Church Chelsea, and Costco.
Additional sponsors include: Angela Chapman, PH.D., Chelsea Cornerstone, LLC, Biggby Coffee – Chelsea, Chelsea District Library, Chelsea House Victorian Inn, Purple Rose Theatre Company, RK Studios, Wilkinson Foundation, Los Tres Amigos, Chelsea Area Historical Society and Museum, Chelsea Dermatology – Jona K. Gill, M.D., Chelsea Oral and Facial Surgery, Chelsea Lumber Company, Chelsea Optometry, Chelsea Wellness Center, Violet and Moss, David and Deborah Schaible, First Equity Residential Mortgage, The Garden Mill, Hopp Electric, Inc., La Maison, Lane Animal Hospital, Merkel Furniture and Carpet One, Moran’s Consignments, P.C. Johnson Construction, P.N. Pandya, DDS, Reimco Building Company, The Potting Shed, Rotary Club of Chelsea, Surface Dynamics, Teresa Miller – Howard Hanna Real Estate, Griftka Marketing, Thompson’s Pizza, TorranceLearning, Zou Zou’s Café and Coffee Bar, Amie Jo’s Elephant Ears, Chelsea Print and Graphics, Dangerous Architects PC, In Chelsea Hair Design, Kiwanis Club of Chelsea, Stadium Development Co., Village Hair Studio and Bill Ballagh State Farm Insurance.
Media support by: ChelseaUpdate.com, Burrill Strong Photography, Mark Bogarin Photography, Kate Zurenko Photography, 102.9 W4 Country, Ann Arbor’s 107one, WHMI, Ann Arbor Family Magazine, Current Magazine, MLive, Sun Times News and The Lucy Ann Lance Show.
Special thanks to the City of Chelsea employees, the Chelsea Police, and the Chelsea Area Fire Authority for their services.
For more information about Chelsea Area Festivals and Events, please visit www.chelseafestivals.com or follow Chelsea Festivals and Events on Facebook.
