Among the South Florida musicians performing this year at SunFest are (clockwise from top left) Jeff Harding, Andre and The Gallery.

If you’re up for supporting the area music scene, you could see a wide range of local artists on Saturday and cover a lot of ground.

From The Gallery’s set right after the gates open at 12:15 p.m. to Jeff Harding’s show at 7 p.m., Saturday will be full of local music at SunFest.

The Gallery, a West Palm Beach-based quartet who all moved to the area from Massachusetts, first gained a good bit of attention with their entry in a Rolling Stone unsigned-musician contest where the winner would get a coveted cover photo. Though The Gallery didn’t win, the group did get a good bit of publicity and people hearing their high-energy pop-rock. They’ll play a set on the Tire Kingdom Stage

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The Jupiter group Pee Wee Lewis & The Hues will be on soon after that on the FPL Stage. This veteran group has their own spin on classic covers and has been playing area stages to happy crowds.
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Cee Lo Green and Jason Mraz bring their own pop style to SunFest on Thursday. (Photos by Getty Images)

There aren’t too many names in pop music right now bigger than Cee Lo Green.

Green, who worked his way up from member of the well-respected rap group Goodie Mob, to a critically acclaimed solo career, to some pop-star stirrings as part of the successful duo Gnarls Barkley, is becoming a huge pop star, thanks to a song that in its original form can’t be played on a lot of radio stations.

The song, known in its cleaned-up form as “Forget You”, hit No. 2 on the Billboard pop charts and is a worldwide smash. As a result, his LP The Lady Killer is also selling quite well.

Green’s set on Thursday on the Tire Kingdom Stage is part of a mini-pop package that also includes New Zealand’s Brooke Fraser and SunFest veteran Jason Mraz.
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The tropical pineapple chicken has been a long-time hit for SunFest gourmets. (Post file photo)

Of all the mega-events she caters each year, concessionaire Sharon Shortt loves SunFest the most.

“Let me put it this way,” says the woman whose company, San Francisco Puffs & Stuff, handles all the food during the five-day extravaganza, which kicks off Wednesday, “If I won the lottery and did nothing else, I’d still do SunFest.”

That’s good news to the SunFest-goers who feast on Puffs & Stuff’s Tropical Pineapple Chicken, which will be available in the Flagler Drive Food Court behind the Tire Kingdom Stage. It’s a hollowed-out pineapple with a curry-laced filling of chicken, pineapple, and a sprinkling of scallions ($9).

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“That’s my biggest seller. People tell me, ‘I wait all year to have this,’ ” says Shortt, vice president of the Fort Lauderdale-based company entering its 29th year as the festival’s concessionaire.
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Earth Wind and Fire, featuring vocalist Philip Bailey, and Gregg Allman are among retro acts heading to SunFest this year. (Photos by Getty Images)

SunFest always seems to have a spot for musicians whose biggest fame is more rooted in the past than the present. The better shows by these musicians have the effect of taking you back in time – shows like Steve Miller Band’s in 2009 or the B-52s in 2010.

This year’s retro sound is all over the map, from Southern rock to classic guitar to unbelievable R&B.

First, on Friday, Gregg Allman will bring his piano and his own band fresh from a successful Wanee Festival down to the Tire Kingdom Stage. When he plays a solo show, Allman’s set list is a mix of Allman Brothers classics, his own solo songs – including the 1987 hit “I’m No Angel” – and some well-chosen covers.

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On Saturday, one of the 1970s biggest rock radio staples, Styx, plays the Tire Kingdom Stage. The group still has two original members – guitarist James Young and bassist Chuck Panozzo (although Chuck only sometimes performs these days) – and longtime member Tommy Shaw on vocals and guitars. The group pulls out quite a few of their classics, making sure to include the songs that Shaw shined on, like “Renegade” and “Too Much Time On My Hands”.
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The 'Floating Oasis' allows SunFest-goers the chance to get out of the sun and dance a while. (Mark Edelson / Palm Beach Post)

Technically, the area is called Captain Morgan’s Floating Oasis.

But most SunFest-goers know the three floating bars in the Intracoastal Waterway by another name: the party barges.

Basically, these are the places to kick back, dance a little, have a couple of drinks and get out of the sun and away from the live music for a little while.

This year, SunFest’s barges will have three very separate themes: The north barge will be sports-related. The central barge is your basic dance-and-party headquarters. And this time around, the south barge will have dueling pianos.

And all the barges will take the SunFest barge card, which is pre-paid.

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Art of all kinds will be on display again this year at the juried art show. (Bruce R. Bennett / Post file photo)

If you walk among the artists at SunFest in downtown West Palm Beach, you’ll probably see as many different styles as there are booths.

The Juried Art & Craft Show draws people from all over the country who come down to show their skills, get recognized for their work and hopefully sell a few pieces over the weekend.

Included in the show – which begins Friday at 5 p.m. and runs throughout the weekend – are 165 artists and craftspeople, including more than 30 from Palm Beach County alone.

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These local creatives have a wide range of voices themselves, from the vibrant work of painter Ilkin Deniz to the nature photography of Chris Evans to the glasswork of Joan Patterson. There are woodworkers, people working in mixed media, potters, fiber workers and jewelry makers.
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Among the rock bands to watch at SunFest are Neon Trees (with lead singer Tyler Glenn) and Taking Back Sunday (with lead singer Adam Lazzara). (Photos by Getty Images)

If you like your music on the loud and driving side, there are two nights worth checking out: Friday and Sunday.

First comes Friday, the night on which the louder, rowdier bands have been tending to play during the last few years. This year, modern rock takes over the Bank of America Stage.

Circa Survive, Anberlin and Taking Back Sunday represent a roaring triple bill of music — and the latter two bands bracket an appearance by the cast of American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior and the unveiling of a special chopper.

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Taking Back Sunday and Anberlin are both veterans of another local festival — the Buzz Bake Sale. Taking Back Sunday saw their profile rise in 2006 with the song “MakeDamnSure” and the LP Louder Now, and have been one of the top modern rock bands in recent years.
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Children enjoy arts & crafts at SunFest. (Photos courtesy of SunFest)

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When you think of music festivals family friendly probably isn’t the first thought to come to mind, but at SunFest kids can have just as much fun as the grown-ups — probably even more.

The place to be for families is the Youth Park Area, located at Trinity Park.

First things first your kids need to be rocked out for SunFest — head to the Hair Cuttery station for ‘rock hair’ (free).

Stylists will gel and spike your child’s hair to maximum heights. The look is finished off with a spray of color. It’s best to arrive early as this station becomes crowded.
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The Preservation Hall Jazz Band performs on Sunday at the Tire Kingdom Stage. (Photo by Clint Maedgen)

Longtime Palm Beach County residents know that SunFest got its start as a jazz-based festival. And a very common lament among detractors is that jazz isn’t a big part of the festival anymore.

(Actually, it’s interesting how that complaint has changed over the years – in 1989, SunFest’s seventh year, people complained because there was too much “yuppie jazz” when organizers brought in Bob James and Diane Schuur. Then as SunFest morphed into more of an overall music festival in the 1990s, and less and less jazz was on the menu, you began to hear cries for the days when there was nothing but jazz.)

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While detractors may never again be happy about the festival lessening its jazz quotient, SunFest does go out and get some fairly big names in the jazz world to play – usually on the festival’s final day, Sunday. We’ve seen names like Larry Carlton, Spyro Gyra and Marcus Miller in the last few years.
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Wine lovers have a slew of options at SunFest, including the Robert Mondavi tent, which was a hit in 2010. (Photo courtesy SunFest)

It’s about the music, of course, but there’s so much more. Even for the wine aficionado and wine-curious. So, if the floating oasis bars at SunFest are a little too much action for you, then stroll over to the Wine Garden in Trinity Park, near the south end of the site.

In a shady, serene setting with tables and chairs, you’ll be able to sample nine different wines. While Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi is the official wine of SunFest, you’ll also be able to taste Ruffino Lumina pinot grigio, Rex Goliath pinot noir, Ravenswood merlot, plus others that will include sauvignon blanc, malbec and a sangria zinfandel. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn more about the wines from Southern Wine & Spirits representatives, who will be on hand for questions and one-on-one interaction.

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The Wine Garden will be open Friday 5 – 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 1 – 9 p.m., and the wines are sold as flights (or samples) of three for $5.
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