The Adams Avenue Street Fair (Sept. 24-25) has been quietly chugging along under the radar to those unfamiliar, and now it can clearly take on the mantle of purveyor of a diverse music and arts festival in a street fair setting.
In fact, let's just go ahead and say it: the Adams Avenue Street Fair is San Diego's unofficial Street Scene, trademarks be damned. Let's see, we have 70 artists performing over eight blocks for over 100,000 people for two days, with music ranging from folk to Cajun to country to rock to blues, in a true "street scene" in the funkiest of urban neighborhoods, Normal Heights. And best of all, it's FREE. In fact, organizers say it is Southern California's largest free street festival.
So what if you might not have even heard of any of the artists? The Adams Avenue Street Fair isn't about big marquee names or flavors of the month. It's all about music for music lovers of all stripes. And you'll be impressed what great music these "unknown" artists deliver.
Past Adams Avenue Street Fair performers - many of whom are Grammy Award winners and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees - include; Big Jay McNeely, No Doubt, Lila Downs, Pops Staples, Andy Summers, Wanda Jackson, Nortec Collective, Koko Taylor, Dave Alvin, Pinetop Perkins, Johnny Johnson, Rosie Flores, Los Fabulocos with Kid Ramos, The Beat Farmers, Cindy Lee Berryhill, Charles McPherson, Transfer, and Mike Watt.
In addition to the electric and eclectic music, there will be three beer gardens, giant carnival rides, children’s activities, and more than 300 food, arts and craft vendors selling their specialties throughout the Street Fair venue.
The 2011 Adams Avenue Street Fair will be held Saturday, September 24, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, September 25, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., along Adams Avenue from 32nd Street on the west to 35th Street on the east and one block south on Mansfield Street in the Normal Heights community of San Diego. The Street Fair is free and open to all-ages.
