Gaston Multicultural Arts Xperience, Goes Virtual This Year
Updated: Dec 6, 2021
GASTON COUNTY, N.C. – Gaston County Public Library (GCPL), in partnership with the City of Gastonia and the Friends of the Gaston County Public Library (FGCPL), today announced that the Gaston Multicultural Arts Xperience, or Gaston MAX, is going virtual this year. The arts festival will be Saturday, March 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with events posted throughout the day on its Facebook page.
The First Annual Gaston MAX was scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2020, but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gaston County Public Library began working on a literary festival back in 2018 and decided to incorporate the arts as part of the event. Through contacts within City of Gastonia government, this concept expanded in 2019 to have a multicultural theme.
The Gaston Cultural Executive Committee, or GCEC, formed to plan large county events such as the Maurice Sendak exhibit at the Main Library, had planned to host last year’s Gaston MAX in Downtown Gastonia at the Rotary Pavilion. The event featured live performances from local artists, story times, children’s activities, local vendors, food trucks and more.
“Our committee spent all of 2019 planning Gaston MAX, and we were so excited to bring this type of event to Gaston County. It broke our hearts when we had to cancel it,” said Dandria Bradley, GCEC chair and deputy communications director for Gaston County Government.
The virtual Gaston MAX will include performances from local artists, such as David Childers, Black Star Theater Company, and Carolina Pro Musica, as well as cooking demonstrations, multicultural cultural programs, story times, and more. There will even be a live Gaston County trivia competition provided by TriviaHub. A performance schedule will be posted prior to the festival. Gaston MAX is a free, family-friendly event that everyone can enjoy from the comfort of anywhere.
“Having the virtual festival is a great start, and we’re hoping that Gaston MAX will be in person next year,” said Christine Ingle, GCEC vice chair and Event Planner and Resource Manager for City of Gastonia.
For more information about Gaston MAX, you can contact Dandria Bradley at dandria.bradley@gastongov.com or Christine Ingle at christinei@cityofgastonia.com.
