With the fifth annual Austin ArtWorks Festival fast approaching on Saturday, Aug. 27 and Sunday, Aug. 28, the volunteer committees have been working hard to make the final decisions on the artists, authors, and musicians participating in this year’s event.

We have been making announcements along the way about the artists and authors, and would now like to take the opportunity to share the indoor and outdoor stage lineups. The indoor stage will feature instrumental groups both from Austin and those who have ties to the Austin area, many of whom have performed at past ArtWorks Festivals.

This year’s lineup includes: Stringendo, Brandon and Brock Lawhead, Cedar River Strings, Con Fuoco, Harmonics, and Trio Sem Nome. The outdoor stage, sponsored in part by KMSU FM-The Maverick based in Mankato and Austin, will feature veteran Festival participants, as well as some new faces.

The music groups returning to the Festival outdoor stage include: Full Circle, Weathered Ivan, Cosmic, and Ian Hilmer.

New to the stage this year are: the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Bulldog Quartet featuring Austin native Jacob Burkhart, Mankato-based City Mouse, MacPhail’s Rim Shots, and Twin Cities-based Afrobilly.

City Mouse has been rocking the area since 1971. Playing a wide range of genres from classic rock to Americana, the bank features Billy Steiner, Dave Pengra, Ron Arsenault, Mike Pengra, Tim Waters, and Dale Haefner.

Afrobilly features Siama Matuzungidi, jazz vocalist Dallas Johnson and master percussionist Tim O’Keefe. The trio presents a captivating mix of roots African music — Central African polyrhythms, the vocal call-and-response tradition of the Pygmies and infectious dance rhythms from East Africa — all presented in the context of fun tales about Siama’s childhood in rural Africa.

Check out austinareaarts.org for more information about all the bands and for the full schedule of their performances. See you at the Festival.