BAINBRIDGE – The fourth annual Regatta Row street festival in Bainbridge presented by the Jericho Arts Council is slated to take place this Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., featuring the work of 20 artists, live entertainment by 25 musicians, and food and wine tasting by local restaurants––and it's all free.

Event Chair Nancy Kitchen said, "The way this is all coming together is, it's a community event where people can have all of their senses being approached, and, at the same time there's no cost."

Art will be on display on the sidewalks of Bainbridge beginning Saturday and will be judged among the categories of excellent design, most creative endeavor, best in show, the mayor's award, and the people's choice award. Twenty artists painted pieces on one-of-a-kind Adirondack chairs and end tables made of canoe paddles as they interpreted the theme "Scenes of New York."

Additionally, Kitchen said students from six high schools painted pictures and designs on canoe paddles, in honor of the General Clinton Regatta held annually on Memorial Day Weekend. The canoe paddles, as well as the chairs and end tables, will be available in an online auction beginning on Saturday at www.jerichoarts.com.

"We've changed a second piece of furniture every year, so this is the first time we've ever had the folding side end tables," said Kitchen. "But the art on them is extraordinary and diverse. The theme this year is "Scenes of New York," and with that we allow the artists a lot of flexibility; it doesn't have to be just Chenango County or just Bainbridge like it has been in the past, this year we're really expanding it through the whole state. And the artists have gotten wild with the styles that you see them working in."

Kitchen announced Christine Giuliano as the winner of the mayor's award, decided on by local politicians, at a media event on Wednesday for Giuliano's piece titled, "All this and so much more."

The winners of the other categories will be announced on Saturday, with the exception of the people's choice award, which will take place through the entire month of May. Anyone can vote for a piece in the people's choice award at www.jerichoarts.com, or in Bainbridge restaurants Bob's Diner, Jerry's, Rosa's, S&S Cafe, and B&W Wines.

The chairs will be on exhibit on the sidewalks on Bainbridge until May 26, when the chairs will be auctioned off at General Clinton Park at 2 p.m.

Saturday's event is rain-or-shine. In the event of rain, festivities will move inside the Bainbridge Town Hall.

Kitchen expressed her thanks to event sponsors the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce, Chenango Arts Council, Golden Artist Colors, Bob's Diner, Payne's Cranes, Lambrecht Auction, and John's Garage for making the Regatta Row street festival possible.

Pictured: Regatta Row Event Chair Nancy Kitchen displays one of the chairs to be featured in the street festival Saturday under the theme "Scenes of New York." (Grady Thompson photo)