stART’s 15th Anniversary Celebration Continues Inside Union Station this December

Worcester, MA, November 27, 2017 — On the heels of the successful 15th anniversary festival of stART on the Street this September, stART at the Station will return on Sunday, December 3rd with an additional element featured in stART’s fall events.

“In our continued celebration of our 15th anniversary we are adding a dedicated performance space we are calling the ‘stART Lounge’,” explained stART Co-Director and Co-Founder Tina Zlody. “We will host a variety of performances ranging from belly dancers and hip hop to jazz, acoustic and choral.”

stART coordinators are excited to include performance in the gifting-themed event this year. “We have tried doing performances in the the space in the past, but the acoustics of the Grand Hall made music overwhelming for vendors and shoppers,” Zlody continued, adding her excitement that the Worcester Redevelopment Authority is granting access of the vacant restaurant space to stART for the day. “We will also have a coffee bar and our limited edition 15th anniversary T-Shirts and coffee mugs for sale in the space.”

Performance Coordinator Nikki Erskine says the lineup is still being finalized, but will include local favorites such as Niki Luparelli, Dark Matter and Big Eyed Rabbit. “The lounge gives us an opportunity to incorporate some of our favorite local acts into our holiday event,” said Erskine. “We want people to be able to take a break from shopping, grab a seat and enjoy a coffee and some live music,” she said, adding that music performances will begin at 11am and end at 5pm.

The extra space also helped stART address a past issue in Union Station: congestion. Erskine explained that, “thanks to the additional space and logistical tweaks, aisles will be four feet wider to allow for more comfortable browsing and moving for attendees.” There will also be some surprises during the day, so coordinators invite attendees to keep their eyes open!

As with all of stART’s events, shoppers will find a wide variety of handmade items from local artisans. This juried event is designed to limit overlap and provide shoppers with a number of unique gifts in a wide range of prices.

“It’s always exciting to be able to bring new vendors in.” mentioned Co-Director and Artist Coordinator Samantha Sorrentino. “Rounding out the artists this year, we added two new clothing vendors. Elana Carello, whose sweaters have been worn by Mindy Kaling herself on her show, The Mindy Project; and ASK Fashion who will be bringing her beautifully made plus-size dresses.”

Early admission begins at 9am for stART’s annual preview fundraiser. For an entrance donation of $10, attendees will receive a cup of coffee, a shopping tote, first pick of handmade goods, and lighter crowds. The event is free to attend between 11am and 5pm. Parking is available inside the Union Station garage for $1, or for free in area lots. ATMs are available on site, though many vendors accept electronic payment. Luciano’s Cotton Club, across from the stART Lounge, will offer full bar and light menu, as well as the football game starting at 1pm.

stART thanks all the people and organizations who have helped us support the local economy by buying handmade – for fifteen straight years! To learn more, get involved, become a sponsor or volunteer, please visit us at stARTontheStreet.org.

About stART on the Street:

stART on the Street is a non-profit organization committed to expanding the scope of creative culture in Worcester and Central Massachusetts by creating events that celebrate and support the visual and performing arts. stART encourages everyone to support the local economy and buy handmade.