CSUSB's Annual Arts and Music Festival: A Raging, Entertaining Success

SAN BERNARDINO >> California State University of San Bernardino (CSUSB) hosted their 4th annual Arts and Music Festival on Friday, May 13. The festival was open to the public. Students of CSUSB and many local residents contributed to the festival by bringing their artwork and business ventures to campus to share with the community and sell for a reasonable price. Many food vendors were there as well, including JoJo’s Grill-a-Dog; Kettle Tyme, Carl’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice, and Family First, cooking tacos and corn on the cob. CSUSB’s student Latin Jazz Band featuring Grammy-nominated trumpeter, Bobby Rodriguez, started out the night by performing in the Lower Commons Plaza on campus. Students, local residents, and their families sat on the grass and enjoyed the beautiful melodies of jazz while enjoying their food. The weather was sunny and cool; a perfect way to relax with family and enjoy the scene. Venues were found along Camphor Way and stretched from the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Arts to the Lower Common Plaza. Kultura Ink specializes in customized buttons and artwork. The owners Jason Garcia, a student at San Bernardino Valley College, and Kerry Hernandez, a student at CSUSB, design artwork that represents revolutionary people throughout history. “I want kids to grow up and know who they are and where they came from,” said Jason Garcia. He feels he can spread the knowledge of history, specifically Hispanic and African-American, by designing artwork that represents influential people. Sketches and Oils was another venue that specializes in artwork. Carmelita, Kiarii, and Kevin Hooks have been creating artwork for over 20 years. They provide murals, portraits, t-shirts, and home and office décor. Carmelita and her family give all the glory to God for their success and ability to share their artistic work with the world. The festival also included Good Life Roots, a book sale, homemade soaps, shirt printing, a kids center with coloring and Play-doh, and a Best of the Bands competition at the far end of the campus near the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art. The winner of the Best of the Bands competition will be featured at the annual Coyote Fest, the students’ end-of-the-year celebration. The Robert and Frances Museum of Art was free and open to the public. The museum celebrated CSUSB’s 50th Anniversary by hosting “Time + Place: 47 Years of Art Faculty at CSUSB.” The exhibition included artwork of more than 30 past and current university faculty spanning 47 years of teaching and creating. In front of the College of Education building, CSUSB’s theatre students performed “Coffee Break”, a snippet from their upcoming show “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”, set to premiere at the campus theater June 3. The night ended with the musical styles of the Orchestra Salsa Caliente. “This is a fantastic opportunity to show talent. The festival is building momentum and now serves 4,000 residents. It was a campus-wide effort," said Carol Dixon, the Executive Director of Special Events.