GREENFIELD — People from up and down the Pioneer Valley will come together Friday morning for a festival in Energy Park called “Free As I Want to Be,” a music and art event with a focus on the artistic output of people with disabilities.
Matthew Robidoux, who runs Jaume I — an experimental arts space on Miles Street — organized the festival along with his clients at Community Enterprises in Greenfield, which provides supported employment, education and living services to people with disabilities. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Robidoux said the goal “is to highlight the output and capabilities of this population and show how valuable all sorts of different members of the community are.”
Most performers are clients of Community Enterprises’ Greenfield and Holyoke locations. Robidoux said the inclusive event will also involve ServiceNet and United Arc clients, as well as “neurotypical individuals.” He said the group has been rehearsing songs and dances over the past several weeks.
“I think a lot of people are pretty much looking forward to the singing,” said Josh Broga of Hawley, who is a client of Community Enterprises. “I think people are there to just enjoy themselves, to just enjoy the music.”
The group is part of the agency’s Community-Based Day Supports program, and has a weekly radio show on WMCB 107.9, twice weekly recording sessions at the Brick House in Turners Falls and weekly art classes at Cosa Rara in Turners Falls.
“I came up with the abstract idea of doing something cumulative with our work because we do these weekly outings,” Robidoux said. “I thought it would be cool to be working toward something rather than just having the outings, so having a festival seemed natural.”
He said the clients helped plan all aspects of the festival, from creating a radio announcement to helping obtain the necessary permits from the town.
The event will kick off with a parade from the Community Enterprise location on Wells Street to the Energy Park, featuring the Expandable Brass Band of Northampton. Performers during the festival include the Community Enterprises band, Flaming Dragons of Middle Earth, Ray Mason, Ed the Wizard and others.
A gallery reception will follow at Jaume I, 14 Miles St., at 12:30 p.m. A variety of visual art will be on display, including paintings, drawings and a video installation, as well as a craft table with items for sale.
“I think we’ve been doing a lot of interesting artwork and music and things like that, and this is a chance for folks to check it out and have it be immersed in the greater community and not just our program,” Robidoux said.