BEVERLY, Mass. — This Saturday, Art Fest Beverly will feature a Mental Wellness Hub area for children and families with sensory disabilities and those who struggle with loud noises and stimuli, in an effort to make the annual event more accessible to city residents and visitors.
Beverly Main Street will partner with Mental Makeover to operate the Mental Wellness Hub, which will be located at First Baptist Church, 221 Cabot Street.
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Mental Makeover leaders and ambassadors will be supporting the efforts. The Mental Wellness Hub is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Universal Inclusion Innovation Fund to plan and implement accessibility systems within the organization.
“Arts Fest Beverly is our signature event and plays a vital role in our efforts to build community in Beverly,” said Erin Truex, executive director of Beverly Main Street. “We are excited to offer a Mental Wellness Hub to better support children and families who would like to attend but may need additional support due to the overcrowding nature of the festival.”
“We see this as the first of many opportunities to provide specialized support to members of our community who need it.”
The 21st annual Art Fest Beverly will be held this Saturday from 10am to 4pm in Downtown Beverly. The event is free and open to the public, and thousands are expected to descend on Cabot Street to enjoy shopping, live music, food and activities for the whole family.
More than 125 juried artists and crafters will sell their work with local retailers and community organizations.
The event will go ahead rain or shine, but forecasters are calling for sunny skies Saturday with temperatures in the upper 70s Fahrenheit.
A complete list of vendors and performance schedule can be found here.
Attention residents: Cabot Street will be closed to general traffic from Bow Street to the intersection with Judson Street, and some side streets will also be closed. The closures will be in place between 7am and 6.15pm.
Parking is limited so participants are encouraged to bike or use public transport where possible.
(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. Contact him at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)
