Cotati’s latest arts project will soon culminate with piano-centric festivities.
For the last few weeks, the Piano Project has displayed six unique, hand-painted pianos at various locations around Cotati, beckoning passersby to play and sing. The pianos were decorated by local non-profit organizations to educate people about what they contribute to the community. You can find them at Friar Tuck’s Pub, Cotati Coffee, Knimble Clothing, Apple Crate Gifts, Oliver’s Market, and Music to my Ears.
The 30th Annual Cotati Jazz & Antiques Festival is Saturday, June 19, and has embraced the Piano Project with this year’s theme “Antiques, Pianos and Jazz…oh my!” You’ll find lots of jazz, dancing, food, wine tasting, beer, antiques, and raffle prizes from noon to 7 p.m. at La Plaza Park. Admission is free. Rotten Tomatoes, Soul Shines Blues Band, The Susan Comstock Quintet, and a special 6-piano performance will take place in La Plaza Park, while more bands will play at the Cotati Yacht Club, Friar Tuck’s Pub, Masala Jack’s, Redwood Café, Spancky’s Bar, and Zone Music.
On Sunday, June 20, all six pianos will be auctioned off at the Piano Drop Picnic at Larsen’s Feed. Festivities will conclude with a piano being dropped by a crane from 120 feet. (They’ll be dropping a seventh piano!) This piece of performance art is meant to poignantly symbolize what happens when a community lets a non-profit organization slip through their fingers during hard economic times. There will be food, music, and fun at the old-fashioned picnic, with games like horseshoes, potato sack and three-legged races, and pie-eating contests.
