Qcity arts fans will experience a rare treat Saturday when many of the city’s museums throw open their doors for a daylong celebration.

The United House of Prayer band plays at last year's Ganttfest; they'll be on the main stage Saturday morning. ROBERT LAHSER - 2010 CHARLOTTE OBSERVER FILE PHOTO

The Gantt Center. The Uptown Mint. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. Discovery Place. For one fun-filled day, those and others will admit all who come free of charge.

Jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis will perform during a street festival that takes over South Tryon. The House of Prayer Band will perform. So will a liturgical dance group from C.N. Jenkins Memorial Presbyterian Church.

The event, dubbed the Wells Fargo Community Celebration, is sponsored by the San Francisco-based bank to commemorate its arrival in Charlotte. It’s red-and-gold logo recently replaced Wachovia's blue and green on branches throughout the Carolinas.

Wells Fargo officials have said the event is meant to thank its employees and the city after the three-year transition.

At the Gantt Center, the annual GanttFest fall festival will be expanded this year to include events inside and out. Throughout the day starting at 10 a.m., GanttFest will include music and dance performances on the outdoor Main Stage on Tryon Street. Inside, the center will present healthy food tastings, health and fitness panels, creative writing workshops for children and adults, a youth poetry slam, and dance classes. Admission to the Romare Bearden exhibit will be free.

The Gold Rush trolley will shuttle visitors from one location to another. For a full schedule of events, visit CharlotteCultureGuide.com.

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