Celebration: A Festival of the Arts is to return to Eastern April 24 to 26 on South Seventh Street, between the Doudna Fine Arts Center and Buzzard Hall.

Dan Crews, director of patron services in the Doudna Fine Arts Center, said the Dounda’s final performance of the year would be the Saturday evening of the festival.

Celebration has been a Charleston tradition since 1977, and features a variety of arts experiences for three days.

Total festival hours are Friday at 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“The festival will feature many musical performances, dance programs, art exhibits and the annual Prairie Plant sale, which features a variety of grasses and plantings that are native to Illinois,” he said.

Crews said groups would perform together for one main music event on the Dvorak Concert stage.

The musical group Switchback, which was voted as a part of Dounda’s “Best Of” series, will make its way back to Charleston for the collaborative performance.

“This time Switchback will be paired with the groups The Twangtown Paramours and Robinella,” he said.

Crews said each of the groups would perform their own set, and then join together for one large jam session at the end.

Crews said other performers include The Turino’s; the reggae band Gizzea; native American singer song-writer Michael Jacobs; Dicky James and the Blue Flames; steel drummer Nigel Thomas; Tequila Mockingbird; The Moondogs; the Ex-Bombers; The Unity Gospel Choir; The Cruddites and Charleston native Brent Byrd.

Crews said the Celebration Art Fair takes place on Saturday and Sunday, and features a large gathering of artisans selling their original works of art.

“From ceramics and functional pottery to jewelers, photographers, painters and stained glass work, visitors to the Art fair will find a wide array of unique artwork at Celebration is hand-crafted by the artists attending the festival,” he said.

He said believes people are looking for any excuse to get outdoors and Celebration gives them that opportunity.

The festival is free for everyone to attend and is hosted by the college of arts and humanities, sponsored by Doudna, Consolidated Communications, the City of Charleston and the International Center for Global Diversity.

Stephanie White can be reached at 581-2812 or at sewhite2@eiu.edu