West Orange schools to take stage at Apopka art festival

WEST ORANGE  The sights and sounds of local students’ musical performances are set to fill the Apopka Amphitheater April 2.

The seventh annual Arts and Jazz Festival, hosted by Orange County School Board member Christine Moore, will benefit many area schools through a day dedicated to celebrating the visual and performing arts. 

“There will be music performances on the theater stage, and there will be jazz bands, elementary and middle school chorus performances,” Moore said. “It’s mostly jazz, chorus, and dance. Art teachers will be there to display (students’) art, and there will be interactive activities.”

Festivities will go on throughout the day between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., with at least 34 musical performances from more than 25 schools scheduled. Performances range from school choruses and jazz ensembles to to dance demonstrations and an Orff ensemble. There also will be a visual-arts recognition toward the end of the day.

Some West Orange-area schools that will be participating include Bridgewater Middle, Dillard Street Elementary, Lakeview Middle, Ocoee High, SunRidge Elementary, Tildenville Elementary, Whispering Oak Elementary and West Orange High.

Moore — who is coordinating the event along with area superintendents John Wright, Dr. Bridget Williams and Dr. Kathy Shuler — said that they also have invited science departments and local Future Farmers of America chapters to bring out animals for a petting zoo.

Tickets cost $5 each and can either be bought from each participating school or at the door. Each school will get to keep the proceeds from its sales, and 100% of ticket sales will go to the schools’ fine-arts programs.

Moore said some schools will bring their PTA chapters, and food will be available throughout the day.

Other family-friendly activities include a kite-flying contest, multiple art projects to work on, chalk art, agriscience and face painting.

Contact Danielle Hendrix at [email protected].