Celebrating 25 years, the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts will dominate University Avenue from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

This snazzy arts festival features more than 300 artists, many of whom are of local artisans, according to the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts homepage.

This event is fantastic because "most artists like dealing with the people directly and getting feedback," said ceramics artist from Fresno Mary Camin.

Camin hand-forms and glazes her earthenware clay into sculptural botanical shapes. She often uses her cactus garden for inspiration.

"I just love doing it [art] and so I kept at it, [even though] it’s hard to make a living," Camin said. "Ceramics has so many variables [and therefore] you are always entertained and exploring new directions."

Another notable artist is Robley Browne, who will sculpt, within the time period of the festival, a 14-foot commemorative masterpiece titled "Support the Arts."

Another special we exhibit is the annual Italian Street Painting Expo. This fun and casual show is open to everyone with a yen for art in the Bay Area — all you have to do is apply early while there is still space.

Each of the artists will produce a chalk drawing that is sponsored by KDFC. All of the proceeds of this Street Painting Expo go to Palo Alto Partners in Education, which will provide much-needed funds for new art programs in Palo Alto schools.

The beauty of this event is that "you get to see everyone else’s art work as it progresses, and get comments on your own," three-year Italian chalk drawer veteran and Paly junior, Arianna Hoyt said.

Other chalk artists include Paly juniors Angela Hsieh and Kelsey Liu, who will draw in the art festival for the second time as partners.

"This year, my partner and I are going to draw Calvin and Hobbes, because two years ago we saw someone did an Asterisk cartoon and thought it was really cool," Hsieh said.

Overall, chalk artists hope to enjoy the donated food, free chalk and the open pavement.

"Normally people fight for umbrellas [because it’s so hot] and you can draw for as long as you want," Hoyt said. "I like being with my friends and turning the cement into a piece of art."

"I really like the fact that we have the art festival because it brings a lot of culture to Palo Alto that we wouldn’t have otherwise," senior Laura Klinestiver, a third year Italian chalk drawer said. "It’s a big draw, especially for families — not only can the parents have fun, but their kids can too."

For junior Italian chalk artists, there is a free space to try it on the corner of Tasso and University Avenue.

Also interactive is the Kids Art Studio, supplied by the University Art Center, which is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the corner of University and Kipling. The Kids Art Studio also is a fundraiser for Palo Alto Partners in Education.

If you crave music, you are in luck, because throughout the festival Bay Area bands will perform on temporary stages where University Avenue intersects Waverley, Ramona and Webster. According to the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts brochure, the main stage on Waverley will feature The Bell Brothers, The Groove Kings, and Silicon Valley Houserockers on Saturday; Mack the Knife, The Garage Band, and Sage on Sunday.

The Groove Kings, the second band in the line up on the main stage, is psyched to play for the event.

"We will add [to the festival] the kind of high energy performance The Groove Kings are known for. As we say, it’s not just a name, it’s an attitude," said keyboardist, trumpeter and singer Jim Gordon. "We’ll be that final layer of an enjoyable experience."

According to Gordon, The Groove Kings are a band from San Jose that has developed a reputation for being a superb group to play at wine and arts festivals. The band performed at the San Jose Grand Prix and was chosen as the KFOX best cover band from KFOX’s "last-band-standing" contest, according to Gordon.

Their smooth mix of classic rock and soul is sure to bring excitement to the festival.

"When people gather around there’s an infectious mood to the music," Gordon said. "Our music is meant to bring a smile to your face and give you the joy of feeling the music and dancing to it and singing. It really is an experience in which we look to connect with our audience."

Overall the Palo Alto community anticipates this upcoming event with enthusiasm.

"It really brings the community together and shows people that there still is art going on," Hoyt said.