Co-sponsored by FUSA and the College of Arts and Sciences, Fairfield Arts Fest kicked off yesterday in the Quad with live outdoor performances by the professional dance company Pilobolus and jazz-fusion musician Mike Casey. For the next three weeks, the outdoor stage will be packed with back-to-back talent on Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

Stop by and enjoy this mix of student and professional performances: 

4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 7:
Dance Fusion, a student group specializing in jazz, contemporary, and hip-hop dance will perform; Remixx, another talented student dance group, will show off their hip-hop and step-based dances; and Michela Marino Lerman, a globally admired tap dance artist, will perform her project “Big Love." 

4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14:
Theatre Fairfield will perform excerpts of The Thanksgiving Play, written by Larissa FastHorse as a teaser before the full-length play opens the following week; Music Ministry, an on-campus choir group, will share musical religious worship and praise with listeners; and Dreamvoid, a duo made up of New Haven-based producer Expired Mocha and chad browne-springer will fuse social commentary with a range of emotions, to send you around the world and back.

4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 21:
The Fairfield University Bensonians will charm students with their a cappella skills, and Shanell Alyssa, a singer and songwriter from Windsor, Conn., will share her folk-influenced, soulful voice and R&B-style songs.

In addition to weekly Thursday performances, WVOF 88.5FM will be on site to keep the music flowing in between acts, and the following student organizations will be share activities and information: Art Club, Italian Club, Humanitarian Action Club, Wounded Warrior Project, and a new art installation titled “AWAKEN” by Fairfield University student, Annie Tran. Food will be provided by Stags Hospitality and students can expect opportunities to win prizes!