Friday, August 18, 2006

Upper Arlington Arts Festival is 40 years old - Labor Day Monday, September 4

From: Emily Cable, Arts Coordinator, Cultural Arts Division, City of Upper Arlington, 3600 Tremont Rd.
Upper Arlington, Ohio 43221
614-583-5311
ecable@uaoh.net

(Upper Arlington, OH) - The Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival celebrates 40 years as central Ohio's premier one-day blind-juried arts festival with festival founder Don Dodrill, on Labor Day Monday September 4, 2006. This free festival, hosted by the City of Upper Arlington's Cultural Arts Division, is held in Northam Park and runs from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Made possible through the efforts of City staff and more than 200 volunteers, the festival draws over 25,000 people every year from all over to celebrate and take part in the visual and performing arts. We invite you to enjoy 200 juried, fine art and fine craft artists from all over the nation and Canada exhibiting, selling and demonstrating their wares. Showcasing the works of 20 different mediums including painting, pottery, photography, jewelry, glassware, sculpture and more, the festival offers something for every art collector.

Over the course of 40 years the festival has grown from a small exhibition of local artists in Miller Park to attract artists from all over the country, with the addition of hands-on art activities for children and adults, performing arts, and tasty treats for all to enjoy. In 1966 artist Don Dodrill began the Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival with other local artists. Don Dodrill has exhibited in the Upper Arlington Arts Festival every year since its inception, except for one year.

Don Dodrill reflects, "the festival means a lot to me. It has given me an opportunity to meet many artists from different locations, see old friends and neighbors, to sell paintings and accept commissions from visitors. I believe the Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival is significantly important in making the arts an important part of community living. Patterned after the Labor Day Arts Festival, other communities have established their own art festivals," remarks Don Dodrill. This year Don Dodrill will exhibit his paintings in booth number 82. Take a moment to stop and let him know how much you enjoy the Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival.

Don't miss this memorable day celebrating art, and enjoy your Labor Day with us. To learn more about the Festival visit the Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival Web section at www.ua-ohio.net, or call 583-5310.