Special to the Gazette
Music and visual art will dominate the world of Jamaica Plain with big productions easily accessible from home in September. Three major community outdoor arts events will help disentangle our minds from the ugly national political situation to focus on other, local, beautiful complexities of colors, shapes and sounds.
There will be few words except lyrics and introductions. (Oh, there may be some petitions or flyers going around. That’s part of the scene.) No one will debate or compete with someone else. No polls or votes will be taken. For hours each weekend, lies won’t exist.
JP Music Fest, Sat., Sept. 7, 12-7 at Pinebank on the Emerald Necklace. 9th Annual, jpmusicfestival.com
Latin Quarter World’s Fair (La Feria Mundial Del Barrio Latino), Sun., Sept. 15, 12-6 in Hyde Square, centered at the corner of Creighton and Centre Street. A revived and renewed JP World’s Fair. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latin-quarter-worlds-fair-2019-tickets-61384358268
JP Open Studios, Sept. 28 and 29, 11-6 all over JP. 26th Annual! https://jpopenstudios.com/jamaica-plain-open-studios/
What’s extra wonderful about these arts occasions is that—like Porchfest in July and Wake Up the Earth in May and many other arts activities in our lively neighborhood every month—they are produced by people and organizations that care a lot about arts, entertainment and the neighborhood. Organizers and event sponsors will provide thousands of people of all ages and sections of the neighborhood with pleasure for hours. Neighbors and visitors from out of town will get a chance to hang out together, too, maybe even make some new friends.
The events are also free! You won’t find that at most large music and arts events these days. That’s why it’s important that every person and business in JP offers to contribute beforehand if at all possible. People can help by making a donation, sponsoring and/or volunteering. And every person can try to buy products of the artists to support them. For more specifics, check their websites and watch for information in the Gazette.
At a minimum, it’s good to thank organizers musicians, artists, people who are helping and businesses that are sponsoring these events. And, of course, clean up after ourselves.
Boston Police from our local station 13 on Washington Street have said several times at meetings over the years that JP is known to police as “the festival neighborhood,” because we have so many community events each year.
What a great reputation to have! Let’s nurture and grow it in September. Let’s allow the fun and camaraderie we experience to refresh us, bring us together and give us the energy to deal head on with the problems and issues that face us and our country these days.