East Chicago’s first Fusic Fest will feature diverse entertainment that includes acrobatics, water shows and a performance by a 1980s music star.

Running Friday to Sunday at Jeorse Park Beach, Fusic Fest is welcoming Sheila E., who is known for her notable recording collaborations with Prince and for being a member of his band.

Scheduled to perform at 10 p.m. Saturday in a free concert, Sheila E. notched a top 10 hit in 1984 with “The Glamorous Life,” and followed up that success later in the year with “The Belle of St. Mark.”

In 1985, the singer and percussionist scored again on Billboard’s pop chart with “A Love Bizarre,” which used Prince as a backup vocalist.

Born Sheila Escovedo, the master of rhythmic dance music will lend her star power to Fusic Fest, which is designed to be “a fusion of food, fun and music,” according to promotional material.

“My whole band will be with me,” Escovedo said in a recent phone interview. “I’ll be playing timbales, guitar, maybe drums. It’ll be high-energy. There’s a lot of audience participation.”

The musical menu will recall Prince. The fare is slated to include “songs that him and I have either recorded, or played together, or have written together,” she said.

“I’ve had a long friendship with him since ’77,” Escovedo said of the pop music icon who died last year at age 57.

“First and foremost, he was a friend,” she said. “I miss my friend dearly. It was a huge loss, not just to me, but to the world. What he left us was his legacy, which is his music.”

In light of her deep personal and artistic connection to the late rock star, it is no surprise that Sheila E. looks back on her romantic relationship with Prince with reflective, heartfelt emotions.

“I mean, I cherish every moment that I have with someone that I truly love, and you cherish every single day, especially when you start losing family and friends and people that are close to you throughout your life,” she said. “You’re grateful for all the times that you had, good and bad.”

The Oakland, Calif., native, now 59, hails from a musical family.

Her musician father, Pete Escovedo, played percussion for Santana.

Her neighborhood environment, meanwhile, was challenging. “There were hard times during me growing up. I had to join a couple of gangs and things like that.”

Sheila E. went on to become Prince’s musical director for his “Sign O’ the Times” tour, and also lent her musicianship to his “Lovesexy” tour.

Sheila E. has a new album called “Iconic: Message 4 America” set for a Sept. 1 release.

“It’s about a movement, it’s about change,” the singer said. “With this movement we have, we want to bring love and peace, and people together.”

The album responds to the state of current affairs, and to the political climate, in the United States.

Sheila E. cites the “division” and “things that are going on in our country that are truly embarrassing.”

Guest artists on the new record include Bootsy Collins and Ringo Starr.

Sheila E. covered Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” and Sly & the Family Stone’s “Everyday People” on the fresh project.

“Lyrically, these songs are still relevant to what’s happening now,” she said.

Additionally, the ’80s star is promoting the release of a new song called “Funky National Anthem: Message 2 America.”

The strong artistic bent of Sheila Escovedo will help fuel Fusic Fest, which has fireworks planned for each of its three nights.

Another bright spot of the fest will be the Cincinnati Circus.

“They do acrobatics and a fire show,” said Steve Segura, multimedia director for the city of East Chicago.

On Aug. 6, Aquafly is scheduled to present day and night water shows.

Other facets of Fusic Fest will be local bands, zip line, arcade games, a kids obstacle course, classic rhythm and blues and cultural dances.

East Chicago is billing the three-day bash as the first Fusic Fest. “Hopefully we’ll have it every year now,” Segura said.

Bob Kostanczuk is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.