CelebrateErie this weekend: Music, art, food, family fun at free downtown festival

Whether you love Erie for its music, its art, its food, its businesses, its families or all of that, you can find something to celebrate about the city this weekend.

CelebrateErie will take place Friday through Sunday along a five-block stretch of State Street, including both sides of Perry Square.

"This celebration brings the community together in so many ways," Stephen Trohoske, a local bass player and co-owner of City Gallery, said during the Erie mayor's weekly news conference Aug. 10. "It brings us together as families, it brings us together as music lovers, as food lovers, as art lovers and we really get to come out and spend three days of seeing what our city really has to give, both culturally and both artistically."

Various festival activities, including artists and vendor displays, will begin each day around 11 a.m. and run until about 8 p.m., a city spokesman said. Admission to CelebrateErie is free, including to the nightly concerts; prices at vendor booths vary.

What's the Chalkwalk?

Possibly the most popular feature of CelebrateErie is the Chalkwalk, which stretches for the entire block on State Street between Eighth and Ninth streets and allows festival visitors to stroll along while looking down at a variety of drawings done with all sorts of colors of chalk.

Artists sponsored by businesses, schools, nonprofits and others create the works of art on both sides of State, where the chalk will remain for weeks or even months until the traffic, rain and sometimes snow finally wear the images away. Some pieces are Erie-themed or highlight the sponsor while others are inspired by movies, popular culture and more.

In the past, Chalkwalk creations have featured NFL running back and Erie native James Conner, Marilyn Monroe, "Spider-Man," Oliver Hazard Perry, "Minions," the board game "Operation" and local landmarks including Presque Isle, the Bicentennial Tower and the Erie Art Museum.

Where to eat

The Food District is situated in West Perry Square and will serve daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The district includes a beer garden and food trucks. Downtown restaurants will be open.

Meet the music headliners

This year's Mainstage at Fourth and State streets will welcome a local band, a rapper and a country group. Opening acts will begin at 5:30 p.m. each evening with the headliners starting at 8 p.m.

Friday

Headliner: Erie All Stars present Fleetwood Mac ― The local band will present a performance of the music of the British-American rock band.

Openers: Mambo and Stephen Trohoske's Dance JoneZz

Trohoske, who will perform at 6:30 p.m., said of the Erie All Stars, "These are some of the best, best musicians from the area. They put together a fantastic show every year."

Saturday

Headliner: Flo Rida ― The American rapper, singer and songwriter was described at the headliner announcement as "one of CelebrateErie's biggest names ever."

Openers: Life Thru Music and The LEC

Sunday

Headliner: Parmalee ― The Academy of Country Music new vocal duo/group of the year nominee will round out the Erie festival.

Openers: Blue Sky and Refuge

CelebrateErie 2023: Flo Rida, Parmalee, Erie All Stars to headline summer festival

New this year are video screens at the Perry Square Stage in West Perry Square that will project a live feed of the 8 p.m. headliner show each night, said Adrienne Nannen, the city's events manager. She said people can take strollers, wagons and chairs to Perry Square, all of which aren't allowed in the Mainstage area that begins at Fourth and State streets and extends south.

Who else is on stage?

Local musicians and other entertainers will be on multiple stages throughout all three days of the event.

Perry Square Stage lineup

Located in West Perry Square.

Friday

• 11 a.m., Ladders

• 12:30 p.m., Matthew Crays & Co.

• 2 p.m., Halfpace

• 3:30 p.m., Daytona Beach 2000

• 5 p.m., Odd Atrocity

• 6:30 p.m., The Breeze Band

Saturday

• 11 a.m., Lights + Letters

• 12:30 p.m., Spades

• 2 p.m., West Indian Revelation

• 3:30 p.m., This American Song

• 5 p.m., Phunkademic

• 6:30 p.m., Erie's Best Kept Secret

Sunday

• 11 a.m., Jeff Fetterman Band

• 12:30 p.m., The Collective

• 2 p.m., Elle Taylor Band

• 3:30 p.m., Optimistic Apocalypse

• 5 p.m., Barry King Blues Band

• 6:30 p.m., Hellz Bellz

Family Stage lineup

Located in East Perry Square.

Friday

• Noon, Lunchtime Yoga with Yoga by Abi

• 1:30 p.m., Berlin Music Studio

• 2:45 p.m., National Marionette Theater

• 4 p.m., Erie Asian Pacific American Association

• 5:15 p.m., In Purpose Studios

• 6:30 p.m., "Broke" Boland

Saturday

• Noon, Kids Yoga by Yoga with Abi

• 12:45 p.m., Footlights Theatre Performing Arts Center

• 1:30 p.m., Park's Taekwondo

• 2:45 p.m., Erie Dance Theater Team

• 4 p.m. Ansumana Komba Gbembo (African fashion show)

• 5 p.m., David Kambowa & the Altar of Worship

• 6:30 p.m., The Bandits

Sunday

• Noon, Storytime with Bunnies by E.A.R.S.

• 12:45 p.m., Aine Celtic Academy

• 1:30 p.m., Park's Taekwondo

• 2:45 p.m., Sovereign Ballet

• 4 p.m., The Erie Heights Brass Ensemble

• 5:15 p.m., Mustafa Albalkhi and the Trio Watan

• 6:30 p.m., Victoria Angelo with an Acholi African Dance Workshop

Living Room Stage

Located on State Street between Seventh and Eighth streets.

Friday

• Noon, onmymind

• 12:45 p.m., PianoPunk!!

• 1:30 p.m., Claire Stuczynski

• 2:45 p.m., Jonathan Nolan

• 4 p.m., Jess Royer

• 5:15 p.m., Logan B & Dirty Leaf

• 6:30 p.m., RiffRiders Lite

Saturday

• Noon, Bummer Country

• 12:45 p.m., Ben Robson

• 1:30 p.m., Tommy Link

• 2:45 p.m., Da BBW x Believe In The Dream x Thusa Music

• 4 p.m., MARK

• 5:15 p.m., Slim and Red

• 6:30 p.m., Paper Matches

Sunday

• Noon, ABIGAIL.

• 12:45 p.m., Reflect & Reform

• 1:30 p.m., Alias Kate

• 2:45 p.m.: Zack Orr

• 4 p.m., Monica Lewis Acoustics

• 5:15 p.m., Buttermilk Falls Gang

• 6:30 p.m., Northbound Soul

What else is there to see and do?

The Family area in East Perry Square will feature activities for all ages while the Marketplace along State Street from South Park Row to Eighth Street will highlight products by more than 30 local vendors. Artwork by local adult and child artists will be on display and/or for purchase as will food by local vendors. There will be a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a 3-point contest and a cornhole tournament.

"We hope that, as usual, people will come down to enjoy the music and support our local artists and businesses, both within (the) CelebrateErie footprint as well as our brick-and-mortar around in the downtown area, restaurants and shops, including those in the Flagship District," Erie Mayor Joe Schember said in his weekly news conference on Aug. 10.

Schember said city studies in 2018 and 2019 showed that CelebrateErie generated $10 million in economic impact in the Erie region.

Also Aug. 18-20: Erie Live Tattoo Gallery brings artists, canvasses, bands, vendors to downtown museum

CelebrateErie downtown street closings

State Street from Third Street to North Park Row was closed to traffic Wednesday morning.

On Thursday morning, State Street from South Park to 10th Street were closed, as were North Park Row and South Park Row from Peach Street to French Street and Eighth Street from Peach to French.

On Friday at 7 a.m., all east and west routes that cross State Street from Fifth Street to Ninth Street will be closed.

Streets are expected to remain closed for clean-up through late Monday afternoon.

Where to park for CelebrateErie

On-street parking is available on side streets near the event district. Additional parking options include:

• Peach Street Garage, 712 Peach St.

• Erie Parking Authority Garage B, 24 E. Eighth St.

• East 10th Street Garage, 25 E. 10th St.

• West 9th Street Garage, 120 W. Ninth St.

• Handicapped parking is available on the north side of West Seventh Street between State Street and Peach Street and on the first floor of the parking garage at West Seventh and Peach streets.

Leave these at home during CelebrateErie

• Dogs, except certified service animals

• Chairs at mainstage concerts, which will be standing-room only

• Bicycles

• Hoverboards

• Skateboards

Learn more

Find more information at www.celebrateerie.com or www.facebook.com/CelebrateErie.

Dana Massing can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: CelebrateErie 2023 highlights city's music, art, food, businesses, more