Art On The Square Celebrating 50 Years
50th Anniversary – Art On The Square – Oskaloosa, Iowa
It’s nearly that time of year again – the weather is getting warmer, and Art on the Square in Oskaloosa is just around the corner! 2018 marks the 50th Anniversary of Art on the Square, and this year’s plans are a celebration of this long-standing community event.
This year’s event will span two days, kicking off at 5 PM Friday, June 8th. Friday night will feature artist vendors, as well as music and performing arts. At 10 PM, everything will shut down for the night, to reopen again on Saturday morning. Saturday’s event will run from 9 AM till 4 PM.
As always, Art on the Square features talented artists from all over the country come to share their creations with eager shoppers. Visitors can enjoy an array of artwork ranging from paintings to pottery, photography to mixed media, and much more. There is truly something for everyone.
Several food trucks will be parked downtown Friday and Saturday during Art on the Square.
In addition to artist vendors, this year’s event will feature live music and the performing arts. Sporadic performance will set the tone for the event, celebrating the community’s rich culture of music and the arts. Visitors can enjoy several performances throughout the day Saturday including one by Ben Davis and friends from 11 AM to Noon, while they peruse and shop. Spots for additional performers are still available. Interested artists should contact Emily Brown at ebrown@oacdg.org.
Art on the Square is a family friendly event. The Mahaska County YMCA and Mahaska County 4-H Teen Council will be providing children’s activities on Saturday including bubbles, and take-and-make crafts.
Beginning Friday night, local artist, Rolland Guild, will begin work on a large chalk mural near the bandstand – Continuing work through the day Saturday. Visitors are encouraged to stop and watch, or simply see the progress as the day goes on. A chalk area for kids will also be available, so they can make their own works of art.
Earlier this year, a contest was held to create the new Art on the Square logo to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the event. The winning design, by Swapnil Mathkar, along with other submitted designs will be displayed in a special exhibit at Art on the Square.
