AddamsFest ‘Be Witched’ Art Show Opens Friday in Downtown Westfield

WESTFIELD, NJ — Organizers of AddamsFest, Westfield’s annual month-long celebration of town native Charles Addams, unveiled its 2024 art show to a select crowd Wednesday night. The show will open to the public Friday, Oct. 11.

“Be Witched,” also the theme of this year’s AddamsFest , explores interpretations of witches from historical, modern day and personal perspectives. The exhibit features Charles Addams’ original cartoons and never-before-seen sketches showcasing his own version of “all things witchy,” as well as works by 17 other artists, including some from Westfield.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE FREE TAPINTO.NET NEWSLETTER

Also on display is “Dudley,” a drawing of a skeleton that Charles Addams mad e in a Westfield barn when he was about 10 years old.

Though AddamsFest is in its seventh year, this is its sixth art show — there was no show in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Kevin Miserocchi, trustee of the Tee & Charles Addams Foundation, worked together with AddamsFest producer Adrian Pastore to curate and set up the temporary exhibit, which the public can visit on Fridays and weekends through October.

To match the theme, “We chose works by Charles Addams that had that semi-occult theme,” Miserocchi said. “And they opened it up to local artists who had all different takes on that subject.”

DOWNLOAD THE FREE TAPINTO APP FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS. AVAILABLE IN THE APPLE STORE AND THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE .

One of those artists is Alexa Branco of Hackensack.

“I’m a huge Addams Family fan,” Branco said. “Growing up as a fellow very spooky kid from New Jersey, his work was extremely inspirational to me.”

Branco got her first taste of the Addams Family as a kid when the movie “Addams Family Values” came out.

“I literally cried on the car ride here,” Branco said. “I’m like, ‘I can’t believe my work is going to be in a show with his.’”

Looking around the temporary gallery, which is set up where a wine shop used to be , Pastore called the space a gathering place for community to come together.

“Look at these people here laughing, smiling, being here,” she said, “taking in something beautiful.”

If you go:

“Be Witched: Charles Addams and Other Incantations” is on exhibit at 127 Central Ave. in Downtown Westfield, across from Quimby Street.

The exhibit is open Fridays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays noon to 6 p.m. and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. through Oct. 27.

There is a suggested donation of $10 per person/$15 per family for entry.

Learn more at AddamsFest.com.

For more local news, visit TAPinto.net