Whitley County Autumn Art Festival is less than a month away
(Talk of the Town file photos by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Less than a month from now, downtown Columbia City will be transformed by colorful art exhibits, music and more during the 2011 Whitley County Autumn Art Festival.
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
The 10th annual Whitley County Autumn Art Festival is now less than a month away!
On Saturday, September 10, 2011, the historic Whitley County Courthouse square will be alive with the arts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival will begin with an opening celebration presented by Boy Scout Troop #94 at 9 a.m. The festival will be held rain or shine and admission is free.
An array of artist will sell their wares, including: woodworking, pottery, jewelry, painting, fiber art, textiles, drawing, metal work, photography, glass and more. Some local participating artists are Richard Heffelfinger, Ann Crawford, Shannon Roberts, Mark Stockhausen, Leanna Christman, Kristy Jahn, Marcia Cole, Heather Davis and David Mann. If you're an area artist interested in participating -- you still have time to get involved. According to Trudy Miller-Longhenry, festival coordinator, the deadline for artist participants has been extended to August 25.
Great musicians and dancers will entertain the crowd at the gazebo, including the Indiana Pacemate Cheerleaders, Dance Til U Drop, Lois Ellen Dance Group, Red Hat Strutters, Applejack Kloggers, Pat Murphy, The J Taylors, Steve Suvada, Ivory West, Shannon Persinger & Eric Clancy and Darlene Hackett.
The Children’s Activity Tent will offer face painting, nature art, shell and wood art, eatable chocolate clay, bubble art and more.
Other festival features include Little Picasso acrylic painting with Sarah Creason; Sweetcakes the Comedy Balloon Artist; caricature artist with Mark Ryan; a Student Art Show will take place in the Clugston Hotel lobby.
Additionally, a Silent Art Auction named “Chair-ish an Art Student” will feature ten chairs decorated by local individuals or organizations as well as other donated items from businesses and artists. The items will be auctioned offer to benefit scholarships for local art students.
Live demonstrations have been planned throughout the day in a variety of mediums -- pottery, ice and wood carving.
If that wasn't enough to keep you busy, look forward to carriage rides give by Steve Corneilus, chalk walk from 11- 2 p.m. by the Peabody Library with prizes awarded we will feature guest professional chalk artist Allen Etter at 11:00 a.m. Plus, visit the Humane Society Pet Road Show and learn more about their pet adoption program.
Funding for the festival is provided by local grantors, businesses and individual sponsorships. Anyone wishing to volunteer or donate to the festival, please call Trudy Miller-Longhenry at 609-3485. Visit the website at www.wcaaf.org
Proceeds from the event will fund a scholarship for furthering the education of a local art student.