The City of Slidell will sponsor one of the Northshore’s biggest cultural festival next Saturday from 4-10:30 p.m. in Olde Towne, but that is only part of the fun planned next weekend in Slidell.

The 16th annual Arts Evening will include food, music and art. More than 100 artists will display their work at 41 different locations from 4-8:30 p.m. during the free event.

Attendees can also partake in antique and boutique shopping while enjoying some of the casual and fine dining establishments who will be serving food and drinks from special Arts Evening On The Go menus. A part of the Olde Towne Mural Project, artists will be painting murals on walls in Olde Towne during the festival.

Lori Gomez will be painting at 220 Front St.; Carol Hallock at 126 Fremaux Ave.; and Barbara Shaw at the corner of First and Front streets.

The mural project is funded in part by the city’s Cultural Season sponsors and supported by funds from the St. Tammany Commission on Cultural Affairs.

During the event, 21 different musicians will provide music for the event. Performers will include Rock ‘n’ Roll bands, jazz bands, Cajun bands, a symphony trio, acoustic guitarist, folk music, bluegrass and an electric violinist.

This year’s festival will also include special performances by Ronnie Kole and Charmaine Neville.

Both will perform in the Slidell Municipal Auditorium with Neville performance of “Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?” taking stage from 5-6:30 p.m. Kole will perform from 8:30-10:30 p.m.

Also next weekend, the Bayou Liberty Jazz Band will be featured Friday evening from 6-9 p.m. as part of the Olde Towne Alive series, and the Bayou Jam concert series will continue Sunday evening from 5:30-7:30 p.m. with a performance by Swingaroux.

All of these events are part of the city’s Whistle Stop Weekend, where visitors along Amtrak’s crescent route were invited to ride the trail to Slidell to partake in events the city is offering.�