After being on hiatus for three years, Music and Murals is back. Organizers of the festival will celebrate the vitality of Hilltop through art and music.

Drew Ebersole is the fund development officer for Martin Luther King Housing Development Authority (MLKHDA), a nonprofit organization on Hilltop. He said the festival was wonderful for the area when it was created in the 1990s, when gang and drug problems were severe on Hilltop.

Now the neighborhood is being revitalized by new residents drawn by new townhouses and businesses. The murals being created for the event will add a needed artistic component, according to Ebersole. “We are marketing this as, ‘Heads up, it is happening on Hilltop.’”

He looks forward to watching people from around the region connecting at the event. He feels it is a fitting salute to the rich, multi-ethnic heritage of the neighborhood. “We are recognizing each other, our diversity and the possibilities,” Ebersole remarked.

MLKHDA is presenting the event in partnership with several churches, nonprofit organizations and Upper Tacoma Business District. “It is clearly a collaborative effort,” Ebersole noted.

Numerous murals are being created for the festival. Tacoma Works, a nonprofit organization, is coordinating their creation. Morgan Alexander, a member of the group, said the project is made possible by donated time and labor. South End Neighborhood Council provided interior paint from a large donation it received. Because most people don’t paint the inside of their homes vibrant colors, it took some sorting through the cans to find bright colors suitable for the murals.

“There has been a lot of learning,” Alexander commented.

“We made do with what we had,” said Trudy Orzio, one of the artists. “It has been a crazy time, but it has been great.”

Orzio does abstract watercolor paintings. This is her first mural. The volunteer artists began this project last September, she noted.

The murals will be installed on storefronts on MLK, Jr. Way during the festival.

A larger mural will be done on Tapestry Church at some point in the future. Students from Tacoma School of the Arts will have a Powerpoint display of possible styles at the festival, and attendees can vote on their favorite. Ebersole said a panel of community leaders will select the subject matter.

Phedra Redifer, an events manager with Metro Parks, was contacted by Ebersole to help organize activities and entertainment.

About 90 percent of vendors will have interactive displays, she noted.

Metro Parks will have activities for children.

A Spanish teacher from Annie Wright School will be on hand with students, showing how to make pinatas.

Hilltop Artists in Residence will make glass beads.

“Everything is very hands-on for people of all ages,” Redifer remarked.

A map will be distributed showing the locations of murals within walking distance of the park. Attendees are encouraged to go for a stroll and observe the art. “It really is an event that is not just in the park, but throughout the neighborhood,” Redifer noted. “This is a great place to live, work and play.”

Live music is another component of the event. Acts scheduled include Korla Wygal, A.K.A., Ephryme, Smoke of Oldominion, Rag Dharma, Daniel Blue and Dragonfish Killswitch.

Redifer said the festival will send a positive message about Hilltop. “Don’t look down, don’t look at your feet but look up the vibrancy of this neighborhood,” she said.