The doors to the old Dixwell Q House. But outside the plaza was alive with children painting, playing violins — and meeting a clown.
That was the scene Saturday as the International Festival of Arts & Ideas launched its 2013 season with “Celebrate Our Dixwell,” a “pop-up” mini-festival in the outdoor plaza on Dixwell Avenue.
The event took place in collaboration with the Celebrate Dixwell Steering Committee, the Stetson Branch Library, the Freddie Fixer Parade organization and Channel 1.
Shauna Wilson, 12, Noel Mitchell, 12, and Donasia Gray, 13, practiced some of their songs on the violin before they performed Brandenburg Concerto No.3 on the main stage. For three dollars, they would also give a personal performance and a cookie to a person, said Joe Brummer of the Community Mediation Center.
Larell Biggs, 7, and his older sister Anaijah Biggs, 7, painted smiley faces on a large mural.
Kato Storm, an artist who was in charge of the mural Larell and Anajiah mural painted on, said he just wanted kids to have a good time painting Saturday, and he wanted them to use their creativity. Storm also created the mural outside of the Stetson Library building in 2009.
At another station organized by the Welcome to the Future Project, Achievement First community outreach coordinator Hillary Bridges got to know Shania Raghubir, 9.
The purpose of this table was to get children to think about their dreams and wishes for their lives, said Dream City Coordinator Sarah Tankoos, whose very large blue sunglasses sat at the tip of her nose.
In addition to future thinking, the organization had a table for kids to think about designs for jewelry, which Autumn Holloway, 10 and Desmonet Smitch, 10, said they enjoyed.
Just across from the jewelry station was Alan Scottie, “The Magnificent Clown,” who created balloon animals and shapes for children.
The next mini-festival, “Celebrate Our Fair Haven,” will take place Saturday from 2 to 8 p.m. at Christopher Columbus Family Academy, 255 Blatchley Ave.
