Full Lineup Revealed for May 5-6 O+ Haverhill

All-access wristbands are available now via donation for the inaugural O+ Haverhill (May 5-6). View the schedule and plan your weekend of art, music and wellness here.

What sets O+ Haverhill apart from other festivals? The artists and musicians who donate their talent to the weekend will receive complimentary health and wellness care in a pop-up clinic staffed by art-loving providers (integrative doctors, nurses, massage therapists, energy healers and more).

The May 5-6 lineup features 20 musical acts including notable Boston-area musicians Julie Rhodes, Troll 2 and Mad Yonder, Haverhill-based favorites Liz Bills and Friends and O+ Kingston (New York) alumni Karma Darwin. Music venues include the Chit Chat Lounge, Better Block location at the Goecke Parking Deck on Merrimack Street and “Acoustic Alley” at 90-100 Washington St.

Haverhill illustrator Brian Canty will be creating a mural inspired by the theme of “Home” at the Rent-A-Center building (150 Merrimack St.) while O+ Kingston alumnus Eugene Stetz will be doing live painting at the Better Block site.

The festival also includes an exhibition of the AIDS Memorial Quilt at Phoenix Rising UCC; cycling events leaving from the Better Block site; EXPLO+RE classes in yoga, gong sound healing, meditation and martial arts at Giving Tree Yoga and Wellness and Ocasio’s True Martial Arts; and an Artist Trading Card Make & Swap and Literary SALO+N (Common Sage Writing Group, Spoken Word, Local Literary Voices and Writers Coffeehouse New England) at Battle Grounds Coffee Co.

O+ Haverhill is part of the revolutionary O+ (pronounced O Positive) Festival, a nonprofit headquartered in Kingston, N.Y., that aims to empower communities to take control of their collective wellbeing through the exchange of the art of medicine for the medicine of art.

Make a donation for an all-access wristband and GO+!

Benefit Art Auction Takes Place June 6

Reserve your bid paddle and a coveted spot at 37 North Front St. (future home of bluecashew) for the third annual auction of art, vintage art and art objects to benefit O+. The auction takes place Tuesday, June 6 and will feature both silent and live auction items.

O+ supporters have the opportunity to take home outstanding work donated by O+ alumni and friends of the nonprofit, including:

  • Maxfield Bala, Micah Blumenthal, Jacinta Bunnell/Leela Corman, Joe Concra, Luba Donskoj, Brent Felker, John Fischer
  • Lorraine B. Furtick, Gaia, Jan Harrison, Margaret Hartford, Chip Thomas aka jetsonorama, Jessie and Katey
  • Dina Kravtsov, Leonie Lacouette, Ruth Lancer, Polly Law, Norm Magnusson, Linda Mary Montano, MTT, Sean Andrew Murray
  • Ken Nystrom, Denise Orzo, Geddes Jones Paulsen, Matthew Pleva, Giselle Potter, Hilary Price, the late James Rizzi
  • Carla Rozman, Ernest Shaw, Jess X. Snow, Eugene Stetz, Genevieve Kara Tefft, Will Lytle aka Thorneater Comics, Chris Victor, Sarah Vogwill and John Walter (True Mirror).

Lots can be viewed here. Preview the art in person at a pop-up gallery at 37 North Front St. (future home of bluecashew) Saturday, June 3. Doors will open at noon as a convenience to those shopping the Kingston Farmer’s Market and strolling uptown Kingston; a First Saturdays party will take place from 6-9 p.m.

The June 6 auction is O+’s largest fundraising event (other than the annual Kingston festival weekend) and supports the yearround work of the national nonprofit, headquartered in Kingston.

This year’s auction goal is $20K. Reserve a paddle/spot on the deck (space is very limited), plan your bidding strategy, and help O+ reach it!

Those who cannot make it to the live event can email an absentee bid for a favorite work to: aimee@opositivefestival.org

The O+ board and staff wish to thank the owners of outdated: an antique cafe for launching this beautiful community event in 2015 and helping O+ raise much needed funds.

Submissions Open for Oct. 6-8 O+ Kingston

Art and music submissions are now open for the eighth annual O+ Kingston, which takes place Oct. 6-8. The theme of this year’s festival is “Home.”

Creatives who are chosen to install artwork or play a concert during the festival will have access to our complimentary health and wellness clinic, staffed by art-loving volunteer providers.

We are also seeking volunteer providers, EXPLO+RE teachers and general festival volunteers.

Do you own/operate a gallery, bar, restaurant or raw space that you would like to offer as a potential venue space? Submit here. Building owners who have a wall that would be the perfect canvas for an O+ mural should submit here.

Submissions for artists and musicians close on the evening of June 6. The O+ Kingston curatorial teams look forward to reviewing them!