Sales, food, fun, music and more at Sidewalk Fest

KENT — The annual Kent Sidewalk Festival, offering food, music, books, clothing, entertainment and more, will be held from Aug. 2 to 5.Sponsored by the Kent Chamber of Commerce, merchants and service organizations come together to make Kent a key destination in early August. Richard Lindsey Bookseller, 15 North Main St., will sponsor a free music series on the store’s front porch from noon to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 4 and 5. On Aug. 4 music will be provided by The Joint Chiefs; students and faculty from the Litchfield Jazz Camp; and Humming Bird. On Aug. 5, Still, the Homegrown Band, Andy and Jeanette Hicks, Six Deamon Bag and Dave Wonsey will perform. While the music is free, donation buckets will be available to contribute to Fischer House, an organization that provides facilities near veterans hospitals providing lodging for visiting families.The Kent Scholarship Fund will conduct an up-market tag sale during Sidewalk Festival Days. All proceeds will go to the fund, which offers college scholarships to alumni of Kent Center School. The sale will be under three tents set up on Golden Falcon Field on Main Street, Route 7.Richard Lindsey, of Richard Lindsey Bookseller, and John Casey, of N.M. Watson & Company Wild Bird Supply, will sponsor an old-fashioned Kent Car Cruise Night on Saturday, Aug. 4, from 4 to 8 p.m. on the Green. A DJ will provide music and food vendors will sell all types of food. Heron American Craft Gallery, 16 North Main St., will offer special discounts during the Kent Sidewalk Festival.House of Books, 10 North Main, will have a tent outside offering special sale items.J.P. Gifford food store, 12 North Main, will offer special discounts on sandwiches.Country Clothes, 11 North Main St., will offer sale prices inside the store. On Aug. 4, Barbara Dole will provide weaving demonstrations.Kent Apothecary, North Main Street at the corner of Route 341, will offer outdoor sales. A representative from Juice Plus, a vitamin supplement made from natural food, will be on hand on Aug. 4.Foreign Cargo and The Gallery Upstairs, 17 North Main, will offer a minimum 10 percent discount on all store merchandise. A tent will be set up outside offering even larger discounts on selected merchandise. Backcountry Outfitters, 5 Bridge St./Route 341, will sponsor a Cheeseburger in Paradise Night on Aug. 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. with the theme Come and Beat Stress and featuring Jimmy Buffet music. On Aug. 4 the Connecticut State Police will bring The Convincer to the store to demonstrate the effects of even a 5 mph car crash on human beings. On Aug. 5 a balloon master will make balloon animals. Three Monkeys and Me toy store, at 7 Fulling Lane, will offer special sale prices and a tent sale. There will also be a petting zoo there on Aug. 4 in the morning with sheep, goats and bunny rabbits. There will be free manicures and nail polish for young girls.Black Sheep Yarns, 12 Old Barn Road, will have a storewide sale with up to 40 percent discounts.For a complete list of planned activities, go to www.kentct.com.