Asheville High School students hold poster contest for Montford Music & Arts Festival

Press release from Bob Rose PR:

The Montford Neighborhood Association has commissioned Asheville High School students to hold a poster contest, with the top three student entries awarded a money prize and the winner having his or her artwork for the 17th Annual Montford Music & Arts Festival becoming the official printed poster of this year’s event.

It marks the first time that Asheville High School has participated in the poster design of Asheville’s longest-running and only free-to-the-public festival.  Students, who can enter as many designs as they like in the month-long contest that ends March 31, are asked to follow a theme of music, art, family fun and the historic Montford District in their artwork.  The Montford Music Arts Festival Committee will select winners, with first prize being $250, second place $100 and third place $50.  The winners will be announced on April 8.

The winning poster will be on display at the festival and will be sold in a limited quantity on event day, with net proceeds being shared equally with the Asheville High School Visual Art Department and the Montford Neighborhood Association, which donates to many worthy local causes.

“Our talented students are very excited about this opportunity to expand their resumes with this contest,” said Kristina Shriver, a visual art teacher at Asheville High.  “It’s also rewarding to enter into the partnership with the Montford Neighborhood Association, as it will give our students a meaningful outreach into the community.”

Presented by the Montford Neighborhood Association along tree lined Montford Ave. in the historic Montford District, the festival will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 30.  For the first time in history, this year’s festival is scheduled after Memorial Day to avoid conflict with the 50th Leaf Festival, which will be presented May 14-17 at Lake Eden.

“As our neighbor, we are thrilled to include Asheville High’s students in this year’s festival,” said Dan Rogers, chair of the Montford Music & Arts Festival Committee.  “We pride ourselves on the family friendly atmosphere of our festival and involving high school students in the design of the poster is a natural fit.  We can’t wait to see the finished products!”

As in past years, the festival will feature top-rated music acts and art exhibitors, as well as several food trucks and booths.  Early music entries include singer-songwriter, funky-folk musician and multi-instrumentalist Billy Jonas, traditional and contemporary bluegrass and gospel band Buncombe Turnpike, Dixieland and New Orleans jazz group The Firecracker Jazz Band and R&B, blues and soul band Westsound.

Food trucks or booths confirmed include Vegan It (impossible burgers, Hawaiian
meatloaf, quesadillas), Cecilia’s Kitchen (empanadas, tamales, Cuban sandwiches,
crepes), Blue Collar Diner (all-day breakfast, mac & cheese, sandwiches) and Jamaican Flavors (curry dishes, fried and jerk chicken, jambalaya).

Perhaps the most family friendly street festival in western North Carolina, the Montford Music & Arts Festival features a special children’s area for face painting, interactive displays, sidewalk chalk art contest and other fun activities.

Located on Montford Ave. between Chestnut and Waneta Streets just down the street from downtown Asheville, the Asheville Visitors Center and Chamber of the Commerce, the all-day event will also feature a music stage with another attractive lineup in 2020.