by George Winter

The call to community members for their involvement with the fourth annual GumptionFest has been answered. GumptionFest 4, September 4-6, promises to be an experience unlike any other here in Sedona. The festival will truly be a showcase of the incredibly wide range of creative individuals that make up our community, and will offer the rare opportunity to experience these artists gathered together for one single event.

Cute GumptionFest attendee gets her face painted

GumptionFest is held annually in celebration and support of every art form. It celebrates the highest community art form there is: the community itself.

The GumptionFest Kickoff Party at Ken’s Creekside (251 Hwy. 179), on Friday, September 4, at 6 p.m., sets the spirit of the weekend’s festivities, which officially begin at noon the following day. Performers include Jay Fout, with Keith Martini, Jake Payne, Julia Jordan, Busker Eaton, Decker and the Dopplegangers, and Deepa, as well as performance poetry throughout the night. 

Be sure to contact Imagine Art, located at 90 Brewer Rd., to enroll the kids (ages 8 and up) in a supervised art project evening, while you spend some time enjoying GumptionFest events.

On Saturday, September 5, visit the GumptionFest Information Tent, at the corner of Coffee Pot Dr. and Yavapai Dr., in West Sedona, to pick up your map of the festival and the program listings for all of the events taking place Saturday and Sunday. 

Perhaps, from there, you’ll stroll north to the Devi Yoga/ Creative Flooring area Рsince it will be about lunchtime Рto see what tasty delights the food vendors have cooked up. There will be crepes, both sweet and savory, lovingly prepared by the Sedona Crepe Connection, who will be also offering coffee beverages. 

Raw food artists from the Chocolatree will be offering cooling foods to help your body prepare itself for the long, warm day of festival-going. While enjoying your delicious edibles from these and other vendors, visit the stage in the beautifully manicured park area behind Creative Flooring, where there will be music and poetry to entertain and inspire, perhaps encouraging you to participate in one of the many creative workshops being held next door at Studio Live.

Make your way to the Family Zone, just south on Coffee Pot Dr., where the whole family can engage in various art projects and interactive workshops – create together, play games, enjoy family-oriented entertainment, and gain knowledge from the information and workshops available.

While there, be sure to check out the GumptionFest Art Gallery, located directly behind the outdoor Family Zone, and take some time to step out of the sun and bask in the visual art of some of the area’s most talented creators. 

As you experience the festival, keep your eyes and ears ready to take in the poetry of some of Northern Arizona’s most exciting poets. Wandering poets and guerrilla poetry performances are likely to be experienced at any point in the festival. Look forward to the many poetry events scheduled throughout the festival, including a Haiku Death Match, a poetic contest where competitors face off head-to-head using short, 17-syllable slam poems to impress three randomly chosen audience members (who act as judges) with their most sincere, funny, touching, or outrageous verse. Anyone is welcome to sign up and compete.

Music flows all day and everywhere, at GumptonFest

Be sure to take a peek inside the GumptionFest Cabaret Tent, which will be spotlighting a wide range of eclectic entertainment suited for the enjoyment of all, and will be located near the center of the festival, near Sun Signs.

And, of course, all day long the Oak Creek Brewery will be serving hand-crafted microbrewed spirits, along with food from their outdoor grill, while music and poetry will be performed throughout both days.

All events continue Sunday, September 6, culminating in a parade, at 6 p.m., celebrating and inviting all participants and attendees. The parade will begin at Devi Yoga/Creative Flooring. Following the parade will be the GumptionFest After-Party at the Oak Creek Brewery, at 8 p.m.

GumptionFest is an annual festival created by local individuals, in order to celebrate the many creative aspects of our community. GumptionFest is free to the public, and will offer the experience of more than 100 musicians, poets, performers, visual artists, dancers, and artisans, over the course of two days There is something for everyone at this year’s festival, and Sedona’s community is invited to come out and celebrate itself!

For the most up to date information regarding GumptionFest, please go on-line (gumptionfest.com).