A canvas for creativity and community

ArtFest Green Bay, presented by Nicolet Bank and Pomp’s Tire, will once again transform downtown into a vibrant canvas of creativity, color and community connection.

Now in its third year, this two-day event organized by Downtown Green Bay, Inc. will feature more than 100 artists, interactive demos, a color run, live music, food, family-friendly fun and opportunities for hands-on participation in community art projects.

“This is the biggest Art Fair yet for ArtFest; we have over 115 artists, so that is definitely a highlight,” said Sherri Valitchka, brand and creative manager for Downtown Green Bay, Inc. “In our third year now, a returning favorite is the ArtFest Color Run… [Other] returning favorites include music and food — they keep the energy and excitement high and people content, hydrated and in festival mode!”

With so much to do, Valitchka said the key to making the most of your time at ArtFest is to make sure that you have enough time to take it all in.

“Come early and stay late!” she said. “You’ll find so much to do, see, hear, taste and purchase and get hands-on with art demos, performances and our annual community art project –– all of this within just one block of the central intersection of Cherry and Jefferson Streets.”

ArtFest will run Saturday, July 19, from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday, July 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., centered on Jefferson and Cherry streets, with the Main Stage at Adams and Cherry streets.

The Art Fair, presented by TDS Fiber, features a dynamic mix of local, regional and national artists representing a wide range of mediums from paintings and sculpture to mixed media and photography.

The ArtFest Color Run kicks off Saturday at 11 a.m. in front of Hotel Northland. This joyful, 1.5-mile fun run showers participants in vibrant powdered color.

Walkers and runners of all ages are welcome and encouraged to register in advance, or on the day of the run beginning at 9 a.m.
Three stages will keep the festival moving with music and performances — the Main Stage will feature headliners Grupo KN Zavor and the Salute to Sinatra Big Band while the Side Stage and Acoustic Stage will feature local and regional talent throughout the weekend.

The Experience Art Zone will feature local nonprofits and arts organizations with unique demos, performances and hands-on experiences.

This year’s Community Art Project invites festivalgoers to help create “Community Bloom,” a large mosaic planter designed by artists Laura Schley and Annie Stenseth, destined for permanent display on Olde Main Street.

“You can be a part of something lasting by helping us and our artists who designed this public art piece by placing colorful tiles,” Valitchka said.

Culinary arts will also be on display at ArtFest with offerings available from local food trucks as well as beverage tents throughout the festival.

But this weekend isn’t the only time to be celebrating art in the Downtown District, as events like ArtFest highlight the vibrancy and potential of the area and the businesses that call it home.

“It’s important for Downtown Green Bay to support artists for sure and to bring vibrancy to our downtown,” Valitchka said. “Over and over again, downtown proves to be a fun place for community fun and engagement with events, entertainment and beautification and it is also a place where businesses want to be.”

“This event is more than an art fair — it’s a chance for the entire community to get involved in shaping the future of downtown’s visual identity,” said Jeff Mirkes, Executive Director of Downtown Green Bay, Inc. “Every tile placed and every dollar spent at ArtFest helps fuel our mission to create a more vibrant, welcoming, and art-filled downtown.”

For more information about ArtFest, visit downtowngreenbay.com/artfest.

For a map and list of participating artists in this year’s Art Fair, check out the back page of this issue of City Pages.