Hands-On Activities, Demonstrations and More Interactive Fun at the 2022 Columbus Arts Festival
For immediate release
May 11, 2022Contact: Jami Goldstein
jgoldstein@gcac.org
(614) 221-8492
COLUMBUS, Ohio — With more than 200 exhibiting artists at the Columbus Arts Festival, presented by the American Electric Power Foundation and produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council (Arts Council), there is certainly plenty to see June 10-12 on the riverfront, but there is also plenty to do. The Festival offers interactive opportunities for people of all ages and skill-sets to create, observe, explore and learn.
Big Local Arts Village
Each year at the Columbus Arts Festival, creatives from all over the city come together to build a place for people to experience and purchase local art. The Big Local Arts Village, sponsored by CoverMyMeds, sits at the Festival’s Franklinton entrance on West Rich Street near 400 West Rich. More than 60 artists from central Ohio will sell their work, while select artists will demonstrate everything from woodturning to Japanese calligraphy, blacksmithing, wire sculpture, leather crafting and more.
Nearby, the Big Local Music Stage has an incredible lineup of Columbus-based musicians. And for those who appreciate the brewing arts, the Rhinegeist Beer Garden features a wide variety of beers – perfect for pairing with lunch or dinner from a local food truck.
Hands-On Activities Village
Always a popular attraction, the Festival’s Hands-On Activities Village presented by Battelle has even more going on this year. Located on the grass triangle at the southeast corner of Town and Belle, the village is staffed by volunteers from more than a dozen local organizations from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Activities include printmaking, painting with acrylics, creating fantastical creatures, building kinetic sand castles and more. With representatives on hand from organizations like A Kid Again, Art Garden Academy, Glass Axis, Kaleidoscope Youth Center, Ohio Craft Museum and Star House, there are activities to fit a wide range of interests and ages. Almost all activities are free and open to both kids and adults.
Children’s Gallery
Kids play art collector in the Children’s Gallery presented by PNC. On Saturday and Sunday from noon to 1:30 p.m. children ages 12 and younger are invited to experience the unique kid-sized gallery—located near the Hands-On Activities Village—with artwork donated by exhibiting artists. Each piece is priced at $5 and under.
Meet the Art Shark
Always on the move, the beloved mascot of the Columbus Arts Festival will appear on both sides of the river. Festival-goers can say hello and take a selfie with Arthur S. Hark (a.k.a. Art Shark), who can be found swimming around the Hands-On Activity Village (Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) or at the Bicentennial Park fountain (Friday, 3:45-4:45 p.m.; Saturday, 3-5 p.m.)
Draw with Mr. J at WOSU’s Booth
Bring the whole family to the WOSU Public Media booth on Saturday, June 11 from 2-4 p.m. for a creative activity featuring Jon Juravich, aka “Mr. J” from WOSU Classroom’s award-winning video series Drawing with Mr. J, along with a special visit from a PBS KIDS costume character!
Get Framed at the Arts Fest
The Art Shark isn’t the only fun photo opp. Festival guests can place themselves in the giant selfie frame, just north of the intersection of the Rich Street Bridge and Washington Boulevard, for a perfectly framed photo with the city’s beautiful skyline as a backdrop.
Get Your Covid Shot
Offered in partnership with Columbus Public Health and the Columbus Division of Fire, eligible Festival-goers can get their Covid vaccine at the booth located on Town Street near the Hands-On Activities Village.
Festival Hours: Friday, June 10 from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; and Sunday, June 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Please note: on Friday and Saturday artist booths close at 9 p.m.; artists have the option to stay open later.)
To volunteer at the Columbus Arts Festival, please go to columbusartsfestival.org/engage/volunteer/.
For more information on the Columbus Arts Festival, call (614) 221-8625 or visit columbusartsfestival.org.
Download the Columbus Arts Festival app through the Apple app store or Google Play at guidebook.com/g/#/guides/columbusartsfestival2022.
For a selection of high-res images, visit the Festival’s press media page.
The Columbus Arts Festival is produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council.
The 2022 Columbus Arts Festival is presented by the American Electric Power Foundation. Additional sponsors and partners include Bank of America, Bath & Body Works, Battelle, Cardinal Health, CDDC, CoverMyMeds, Gateway Film Center, Huntington National Bank, IGS Energy, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., King Business Interiors, Maker’s Mark, The Ohio State University, OSA Technology Partners, Paul-Henri Bourguignon Foundation, PNC, Rhinegeist, Toyota, White Castle, Whole World Lemonade and Worthington Industries Foundation. Media sponsors include ABC6/FOX28, CD92.9, Lamar Outdoor, Ohio Magazine, Orange Barrel Media, RSVP, WCBE, WOSU Public Media and WSNY.
Mission of the Greater Columbus Arts Council: To support and advance the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. www.gcac.org
The Greater Columbus Arts Council receives major financial support from the City of Columbus, Franklin County Commissioners and the Ohio Arts Council. None of these funds are used for the production of the Columbus Arts Festival.
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