Westmont's second annual Vision & Vibe Fest brought more than 30 artists and musicians to Veterans Memorial Park on Sept. 12-13.
The two-day festival at the Park Place facility, 141 S. Linden Ave., featured visual artists selling work along the park pathway, live performances on an outdoor stage and free activities for kids. The Village of Westmont confirmed the event was underway Saturday, posting on its official Facebook page that graphic artists, live music, art projects, food and beverages were all on site.
The full lineup had been announced in the Village's Aug. 31 press release. Saturday's stage opened with a Salt Creek Ballet performance at 11 a.m. and ran through sets by acoustic guitarist Michael Aponte, author Amy Quattrone, singer-songwriters Hannah Black and Alison Maris, country duo Whiskey & Harmony, teen musicians Daniel and Dylan DiPaolo, and rock-pop group Emma & the Dilemma. Maris teaches music in Community Unit School District 201.
Sunday's scheduled headliner was the Mike Wheeler Band & Guests. Wheeler is no stranger to big stages. The Chicago blues songwriter and guitarist was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame in 2014 as a Master Blues Artist. He has performed alongside Koko Taylor and Buddy Guy and is a regular at Chicago blues club Kingston Mines. High school singer-songwriter Briley, described in the festival program as having "almost 15 million likes on TikTok," was also on Sunday's bill, along with blues and soul artist Hannah Blue.
Beyond the stage, the festival offered free kids' art activities, face painting, a balloon twister and a community art project on the Park Place patio. Last year's community art project drew more than 60 participants who painted individual canvasses later assembled into three large collages, according to a Village announcement in January. Those collages were unveiled at the Jan. 23 Village Board meeting.
Westmont resident Zola Andonopoulos, who is training with the U.S. Luge team at their facility in Lake Placid, New York, was scheduled to hold a meet-and-greet at the festival Saturday, according to a Village press release.
Food vendors Joey's Redhots and Taste Greek Street Food served meals under the outdoor pavilion near Dallas Street, with beer and wine from Taurasi Stile Italiano and Prestige Liquors.
"It's fun to note that so many of the performing artists have a direct connection to Westmont," performance schedule coordinator Larry McIntyre said in the Village's Aug. 31 press release. "Westmont has an amazing music scene and many of these musicians either work, live, volunteer, or perform here in Westmont."
Jenny Babyar, the Village's project manager and committee chair for Vision & Vibe Fest, organized the event with help from the Westmont Special Events Corporation. Westmont's next community event on the calendar is the Wicked West Fest scarecrow decorating contest, with a sign-up deadline of Sept. 25.
