Downtown Rockport will come alive with music, art, dance and poetry on Motif No. 1 Day, slated for Saturday, May 21, 2011.

Motif No. 1 Day is a long-standing Rockport tradition, a chance to celebrate Rockport across the arts through the symbol of Rockport’s famous fishing shack, Motif No. 1, the subject of countless paintings and photographs throughout the last century.

Motif No. 1 Day brings a focus on the arts to Rockport, both past and present. The festival includes interactive art events such as the Sidewalk Chalk Art contest, a scavenger hunt throughout downtown, the famous festival Dock Square Chowder Stand, live music, historical presentations, art activities for children, and the Words Before Dinner event, a poetry reading featuring the beauty and history of Cape Ann as its theme. The festival closes with Rockport on Film: Vintage Images of Rockport from the collection of Pierce Sears, proprietor of the Thomas Wilson Beverage Co.

Jazz, Bluegrass, and classic American Band music will all be featured, with appearances by Merrimack Valley Rounders, Soul Force V and the Rockport Legion Band among others. The day also includes featured events at participating businesses and an exciting array of community events such as an Instrument Petting Zoo and other activities for children sponsored by Rockport Music at the beautiful new Shalin Liu Performance Center.

The festival kicks off on Friday, May 20 at 7 o’clock in Dock Square with the premier of The Fish Shack Float That Charmed Chicago: filmmaker, historian & photographer Leslie D. Bartlett’s new film featuring archival footage of Rockport and the story of Rockport’s success at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. The screening is free and film-goers will enjoy Twin Lights soda courtesy of Rockport’s own bottling company, the Thomas Wilson Beverage Co.

For more information, visit www.rockportartfestivals.com

or e-mail: rockportfestivals@gmail.com.

You can follow Rockport Festivals at facebook.com/rockportfestivals

and on twitter @rockportfest.