Columbus Arts Festival wet as usual
Ominous dark clouds approached, and the artists fortified their tents against the coming storm, but hundreds of people continued to stroll through the Columbus Arts Festival.
Festival-goers had to scramble and take cover a couple of times during intermittent downpours Friday afternoon.
"This festival has a history of bad weather," said photographer Mark MacKinnon, who traveled from Wappingers Falls, New York. "When I was here in 2011, my tent blew over."
The 57th annual festival includes 270 exhibiting artists working in a range of media, including wool and recycled materials. Forty food vendors are on site at the event, which kicked off Friday and runs through Sunday along the Scioto River and the Scioto Mile Downtown.
The "Big Local Art" tent this year is home to 50 Ohio vendors, about 20 of whom are from the central part of the state. Potterymaking, blacksmithing and jewelry-making are just a few of the skills showcased.
"This is great for local artists, and it's a good example of the creative and collaborative way we do things here in Columbus," said festival spokeswoman Jami Goldstein.
Franklinton artist Austi Welsh has worked the "Big Local Art" tent for four years. She makes beard oil, mineral eye shadows and other skin-care products.
Two kid favorites also have returned to the festival this year: the hands-on activity village and Art Shark.
The village has moved to a shadier spot on the west side of COSI. Kids can try their hands at designing tote bags, get their faces painted or test their soccer skills with the Columbus Crew.
Before the rain rolled Megan Diehl, 15, of Bexley, center, shows a photograph to her mother, Monika, and her sister, Cate, 7, left, in photographer Kyle Spears’ booth at the Columbus Arts Festival on Friday. The annual event along the Scioto River Downtown runs through Sunday.
in Friday, Nora, 4, and Parker Warkentin, 6, from Upper Arlington, made slingshots from Popsicle sticks at the COSI craft tent. Then they sat in the grass with their parents for a quick snack of juice boxes and granola bars from home.
"We've been coming for a long time," said the children's mother, Kari Warkentin. "We even came when (Parker) was 2 weeks old."
After eating, the family was headed to the Bicentennial Park fountain, just one of the spots where Arthur S. Hark, otherwise known as Art Shark, will visit this weekend. The mascot of the festival is clad in a water-resistant costume so he can play in the fountain — or just to be ready for the weather.
There is a chance of rain both Saturday and Sunday. The festival is open from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Rhonda Helcher of Grove City, left, tries on a hat made by fiber artist Fatou Sall of Capitol Heights, Md. Helcher bought a hat from Sall last year and returned for another. Six-year-old Lily Goodwin of Dublin paints a paperplate flower at the Art with Anna booth in the hands-on activity village.