MARBLEHEAD — For the first time in its history, the Marblehead Festival of Arts, like the Olympics, has been put off until next year. This annual festival takes place during the July 4 holiday. The all-volunteer event features a champagne reception, art exhibits, live music and the screening of films.
The 55th annual Marblehead Festival of Arts will be held in July 2021.
However, two events have not been canceled. Two art scholarships awarded to graduating seniors will occur. The deadline to apply has been extended to April 29. And the Cod Auction, which is held entirely online, will go forward.
For the Cod Auction, local artists paint or decorate a cod-shaped piece of wood. Auction proceeds go toward the scholarships and basic expenses of running the festival. The Bidding for Good auction is held on the MFoA website, a link for which will be found at www.marbleheadfestival.org. The auction usually starts in May and runs through the end of the festival. This year’s auction won’t start until July.
High School seniors residing or attending school in Marblehead are eligible for the art scholarship. Seniors graduating from Marblehead High School are eligible for the scholarship provided by the Warwick Theatre Foundation. These $3,000 scholarships are presented to seniors pursuing higher education in crafts, music, visual or performing arts, and film production.