This one-day event will include a spectacular variety of free musical performances featuring Jazz, Blues, Pop, Folk, Rock, Celtic, Spiritual, Acoustic, throughout the village. There will be four indoor venues - Nola's, the Village Tavern, Melodic Revolution, and Don's Rok. The three outdoor venues are Clinton Cider Mill, the Stone Presbyterian Church, and the Gazebo in the village green.

There will also be artists of all types - painters, sculptors, potters, photographers, glass and ceramics artists showcasing their talents all day.

The event is the brainchild of Nick Katona. Katona and his wife Jennifer recently moved to Clinton and started Melodic Revolution, a music store that caters to independent musicians. Katona operates the store full-time and has used the Revolution to bring in a multitude of indie musicians. He also serves with the Clinton Chamber of Commerce and began pitching the idea of a giant independent music festival to be held in the village.

"We were trying to come up with different ways to do something with this community," said Nick. "We wanted a family affair - something where the whole family would find something unique. And we thought, 'Why not do a festival with up and coming bands since I'm already working with these bands - and get bands from all over the world who are unsigned?'"

"We'd like people really to know Clinton as an arts town," said Jennifer.

Ferris Betrus, executive vice-president of the Clinton Chamber said that it was Nick Katona's inspiration that had made the festival possible.

"It was all Nick," said Betrus. "We were all skeptical at first, but Nick somehow found that there is all kinds of talent out there with no place to play."

Betrus admitted that he noticed some trepidation on the part of the community as the big day of the festival drew near.

"You have to understand that this is an old-time village," he said. "I think when people see the live music and the art, and the level of talent that's out there, they're going to be excited. It's going to be good for the community."

In addition to the wide variety of music, a wide range of artists will be displaying their work as part of the festival. Ceramic artist Vartan Poghosian said that he was looking forward to not only displaying his artwork, but getting to meet so many other artists.

"Absolutely, I'm very excited about this," said Poghosian. "There isn't anything like this in Utica except for the art walk (at Munson-Williams-Proctor)."

For lovers of live music, the festival will offer a plethora of choices, with musicians coming from across the country to perform. Only around half a dozen of the acts will be local, with some coming from as far away as California and Georgia.

Dave Trichter frontman for the band Hotspur will be bringing his alt-rock/powerpop sounds to the festival. The group is based out of Maryland and Washington DC and connected to Nick Katona and Melodic Revolution through the popular Web site Myspace.com. Hotspur was able to schedule a couple other concerts as they traveled north towards Central New York.

"Yeah, definitely," said Trichter when asked whether booking a concert through Myspace was typical for his band. "Nick has a great reputation among independent musicians."

No performer however, will be traveling as far as Alan Morphew. The singer/songwriter is based out of Los Angeles, Calif. and will be flying cross-country to participate in the festival. Morphew was recently nominated as the Best Male Singer/Songwriter at the L.A. Music Awards.

"This was an area that I wanted to play in," said Morphew. "I'm hoping to be able to book a few more gigs and come back here again."

Another notable performer at the festival will be Lorijo Manley. A Syracuse native who has lived in Utica, Manley was an official performer at the Athlete's Village for the 1996 Olympic. In 1998 her singing was showcased in the theme music for the first Native American Music Awards which was broadcast on the A&E channel.

Although most of the talent on display will be coming from outside of central New York, some of the area's finest musicians will be on display. Local favorites like Dave Snediker, Kevin Thompson, Scott Brown, and Doc Woods will all be in concert at some point during the day.

Along with Clinton's many restaurants, there will be many other food vendors taking part in the day's activities. The day will close at dusk when Hamilton College will host a "Drive-In Movie" in the field behind Clinton High School. A huge screen will be erected to show the Disney film "The Incredibles."

"There is truly something for everyone," said Jennifer. "Everyone believes that this is going to be the best event of the year."

"Our goal in five years is to have a three-day festival," agreed Nick. "This is something I really see growing."

Proceeds from Clinton's Art & Music Festival will be donated to the Utica Chapter of the American Red Cross. For more information contact the Clinton Chamber Office at 853-1735. For more information on the Melodic Revolution call 853-2320 or visit www.melodicrevolution.com.