WESTERLY — What began with a "Go Fund-Me" page created to "support Westerly's Rising Artists," has now become a cherished — and free — local tradition.

The Next Up Music Festival, back for its fourth year, will take place Saturday in Wilcox Park, with a lineup featuring both rising and established musicians in a seven-hour marathon of music.

Billed as a festival that "celebrates community, creativity, and the next generation of music makers," musicians scheduled to perform this year include Maggie Welch, Anna May and No Exit 4, with Big Lux and the Hype — bringing their high-energy fusion of hip hop, funk, and violin to the stage — headlining the day.

Big Lux, the musician also known as Kevin Lowther, is a Westerly resident and former member of the Westerly Town Council who serves as pr

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