Lemonade Concert and Arts Fair to kick off Granite City Days at SCSU

The 36th Lemonade Concert & Art Fair will begin at 11 a.m. on the 25th of June at SCSU.

The Granite City Days Opening Ceremony will also be kicked off at the Lemonade Concert and Art Fair. As part of the Granite City Days Opening Ceremony, the mayor of St. Cloud will also be presenting the “ROCK-ON AWARD” to outstanding individuals, organizations or businesses in the St Cloud area.

The larger sponsors of the fair include the University Program Board (UPB), SCSU, the city of St Cloud and the Minnesota State Arts Board.

There will be over 250 arts and crafts vendors from St Cloud and the surrounding areas, as well as food vendors and musical performances throughout the day.

All the arts and crafts sold on that day will be handmade items.

This is the third time that there will be a noon concert performance. The performance will be done by the Balance Boys and musician Robert Robinson.

Robinson will also be singing the National Anthem with the St Cloud Symphony Orchestra, which is only the second time there will be a vocalist performing with the orchestra.

Robinson is a two-time Minnesota Music Award Winner for Best Gospel Artist and Group, as well as the current Executive and Artistic Director for the Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir.

Musical performances scheduled for the day includes harpist Robin Berry, pianist Bradley Joseph and the St Cloud Symphony Orchestra.

Berry has released over 10 albums and was a student of renowned jazz artist Dorothy Ashby.

Joseph was a featured keyboardist on one of Yanni’s world tours and has also appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” in the past. In 2004, Bradley Joseph was named one of the “Ten Young Outstanding Minnesotans.”

The Little Lemons Art and Entertainment Area for children will feature a kid’s choir, a “Design Your Own Craft” activity as well as an instrument petting zoo.

In the past years, the event has attracted more than 10,000.

“To offer all these different crafts and arts to people as well as great music, great fun and a nice day outdoors is what it is all really about,” Chris Lambert, program advisor for UPB, said.

“We’re here to support the event and give people the opportunity to experience something this large,” Lambert said. “You start to really get a bigger grasp of what being a part of SCSU is all about.”

UPB also has a back-up plan in case of bad weather. Lambert said that the Arts and Craft fair will go on even if the weather proves to be bad.

Rain sites have also been designated for other events of the day. The “Little Lemons” children area will be moved into Atwood and the concerts into the Ritsche Auditorium.

Vendors interested in registering for the event can still do so. There is a non-refundable registration fee of $50 and there is no specified registration deadline.

Students or employees of SCSU that are interested in lending a helping hand can also fill out a form to be a volunteer for the day. However, the deadline for the volunteer application is today.