Artists specializing in country, blues, rock, jazz, reggae and more will also take the stage at the 30th annual Island Fest, presented by the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce.
The two-day festival, which also features The Taste of Islamorada, a gourmet food competition, a vintage car show and roughly 100 artists from around the country showcasing and selling their goods, will take place on Saturday and Sunday, April 2-3.
The start of Island Fest’s live music lineup will come shortly after the event’s 10 a.m. kick-off with Toko Irie performing on the Crooked Palm Distillery stage on the beach. Next on the agenda is I Land Vibes playing joyful beach tunes, followed by The Sunshine Band playing oldies, rock and country.
Sunday’s entertainment will kick off with Robert Grabowski from The Absinthe Jazz Project, followed onstage by The Pitbull of Blues Band. Local artist Pasta Pantaleo will take to the stage and paint to the rhythm of the blues. Attendees can boogie down to this crowd favorite and get ready to enjoy the “Taste of Islamorada” where you can sample incredible food from the best restaurants in Islamorada (only on Sunday). Sunday afternoon would not be complete without some sing-along country performed by the Coconut Cowboys, who perform songs from Hank Williams to Johnny Cash and Lynyrd Skynyrd to Guns-N-Roses. Wrapping up and closing the event is the awards ceremony for the Taste of Islamorada.
Featuring music, art, food, classic cars and fun, Island Fest offers something for everyone. Admission is free and on-site parking is available for a $5 donation.
FEATURED ARTISTS: Island Fest Welcomes 3 Talented Painters
Presented by the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce, the two-day Island Fest will offer live music, gourmet cuisine, vintage cars and plenty of fine art and crafts. The festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday, April 2-3, at Founders Park.
Recognized as this year’s poster artist is painter Derek DeYoung, whose work “Tarpon at Play” captures the joyful nature of this powerful fish. As a boy, DeYoung dreamed of one day living in the Florida Keys. Today, he spends the winter months in Big Pine Key and has done so for the last nine years. Beyond just living the island life, DeYoung worked extremely hard to master the art of catching flats gamefish on a fly, as well as capturing them in acrylic paint on his canvases.
“To be named poster artist for Island Fest has meant the world to Derek, as he truly considers the Florida Keys his home and is so honored to represent his fellow Keys artists this year for Island Fest,” says his wife and partner, Janelle.
DeYoung was born near the shores of Lake Michigan, where his love of fishing was ignited. Over the years his art has veered from the classical fishing art, placing more importance on using a unique style and palette. Using oil paints on canvas, he captures the subtle intricacies fish possess; their patterns, dimensions and textures.
“Ever since I can remember, my connection to the world and the people around me has been through my artwork. I was an average student at best in a family of overachievers academically, but my ability to draw and paint always kept my mom from worrying about me too much,” he said.
Also among the participants will be Ana Monsanto, returning after winning ‘Best in Show’ in 2018. Monsanto, a Ukrainian native, moved to Miami at a very young age.
“Just like everyone that comes to Florida, I fell in love with the ocean and the beautiful beaches of Florida,” said Monsanto. “They have been my inspiration for my artwork.”
Monsanto began painting when she was a teenager and later took drawing and painting classes at Florida International University. Her paintings are made with acrylic paint and custom pigment on canvas.
“Painting water and the movement of water is what I enjoy the most,” Monsanto said.
The little details and memories Ana has from freediving and surfing can be seen in her art. Her latest collection features heavy impasto style barnacles and corals. “You can almost pick the corals off the canvas. The texture is thick and three-dimensional.”
The third featured artist, Linda McQuinn, has lived in several beautiful places across the country. Currently she is living in Pine Island. McQuinn has always done some sort of art, but started painting full-time over five years ago. She is self-taught, working predominantly with oil and acrylic.
“I love bold color and like to experiment with texture and pattern to create whimsical paintings inspired by nature and experiences,” she said. “Painting is my passion and I hope that is reflected in my work.”
Admission to Island Fest is free and on-site parking is available for a $5 donation. The Islamorada Chamber of Commerce encourages the public to “Keep the Scene Green” and bring a reusable drink container to reduce plastic use during the event. Events will take place rain or shine. Attendees may bring lawn chairs and blankets. More information is available from the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce at 305-664-4503.
