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Three Stages Jam Packed for Three Days!

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The three stages at the Anacortes Arts Festival are packed with non-stop talent.

We are proud to be partnering with the Manieri Endowment again to bring you a group of amazing jazz musicians.  The ever-popular Nearly Dan is back on Friday night and there are a number of exciting new-to-the-Festival jazz musicians throughout the weekend.  Pearl Django and Birch Pereira & the Gin Joints are back on Saturday afternoon.  And, a band with a name that is so intriguing, that you can’t miss them on Sunday – Herding Cat Octet!

The Main Stage is packed with great music to enjoy from the Hideout Beer Garden.  Friday night features John Van Deusen and Friends and a Tom Petty Tribute Group, Petty Differences.  Saturday is all day rockin’ and country fun with Geoffrey Castle, Chris Eger Band, Knut Bell & the Blue Collars and Award-Winning Country Musician Chance McKinney.  On Sunday, Bellingham favorite Kuinka will close out the Festival with their joyful, fun pop.

Enjoying music on the dock, along Guemes Channel is one of the rare treats that the Festival offers.  Local favorite Mama Dirty Skirt is back on Friday evening, during the Friday Night Art Walk.  We’ve brought another fan favorite, Commander Mojo & the Horns of Discontent back on Saturday to rock the dock.  And, Sunday morning, start your day with Ebb, Slack & Flood.

Find the full schedule for each stage here and plan to spend time at each stage dancing, tapping your toes or clapping your hands!

Everything You Need To Know!

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What’s happening at the Anacortes Arts Festival this year?  With more than 250 artists, a fine art show, three stages, lots of food, youth activities, working artists and more….there is too much to go into detail in a blog post!

If you would love a sneak peek at what is happening at the Festival, check out our 2019 Show Guide.  It might help you plan your weekend with us!

See you August 2 – 4 in Downtown Anacortes!

 

Pattern & Structure in Focus Gallery

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Three talented artists will be featured in our Arts at the Port Allen Family Focus Gallery; relating to the theme “Pattern & Structure”. Guemes Island painter Cathy Schoenberg will include both florals and new patterned work. Seattle artist Jill Clark creates sculptural fiber work using hog gut and found objects. Portland artist Charissa Brock uses bamboo and glass in large and small scale basketry work. Arts at the Port opens on Saturday, July 27. Also included is our Juried Exhibition showing work from 55 regional fine artists and a youth art installation coordinated by Voices of the Children. Also featured will be the Regeneration Project collaborative installation honoring the victims of gun violence.

Giving in various ways

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Outside our regular grant cycle, we also designate funds from our annual Art Dash and Color Run for the purchase of public art. We have decided to use some of this year’s funds to purchase two of the sculptures from the Depot Madrona Grove Sculpture – Giraffes by Joe Treat and Continental Drift Number 2 by Anacortes artist Steve Lloyd.  Giraffes, constructed of driftwood,  was selected the public favorite from a recent survey and will remain where it is currently standing.  The placement of Continental Drift Number 2 has yet to be determined. Both pieces will become the property of the City.  The sculpture exhibition is facilitated by the Anacortes Arts Commission and sponsored by Windermere.

Depot Sculpture Program 

Art Dash funds purchase public art

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One of ways that the Festival gives back is through public art purchases with proceed from our annual Art Dash and Color Runs.   We recently decided to purchase 2 sculptures from the current Madrona Grove Sculpture Exhibition at the Depot facilitated by the Anacortes Arts Commission.  “Giraffes” by artist Joe Treat was chosen as the People’s Choice in a fall online public survey.  Consisting of two giraffes constructed from driftwood, the pair will stay where they are currently located in the grassy triangle south of the Depot.   The second piece, “Continental Drift Number 2” was created by Anacortes artist Steve Lloyd.   It is a giant sphere is also created from driftwood.  It’s permanent location is yet to be determined.  The current exhibit will change out early in 2018.

Madrona Grove Sculpture Exhibit by Windermere

Phil Elvrum in Concert

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April 1 – Phil Elvrum in Concert, 7pm, Depot Art Center – 611 R Ave

He will perform a concert at the Depot Art Center.  This popular young cult singer-songwriter-producer routinely draws large young crowds.

April Events focus on Fun & Family

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2017 dates for Art in Bloom are April 14 – 22. Originally started as a way to bring fine art to Anacortes during the busy Tulip Festival season, Art in Bloom has evolved into a series of family-friendly events including a Fine Art Exhibition focusing on emerging collectors, an Evening Event to benefit arts education for Anacortes school children, Do the Bloom Color Run to fund public art and a Spring Fest featuring regional artisans.

Busker Fest Anacortes on Sunday!

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Join us at the first annual Busker Fest Anacortes this Sunday, August 28 from 11:00a.m. – 2:00p.m.  Street performers will be performing throughout Downtown Anacortes, in partnership with the City of Anacortes and Open Streets Anacortes.  Ten of them will be competing in a People’s Choice competition – make sure to vote with your smartphone while you are at the event! Music, dance, juggling and so much more!

Ride your bike, your scooter, your rollerblades…or just walk!  Commercial Avenue will be closed and there will be lots of activities in addition to the great performers!

 

Do the Bloom Color Run!

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This Saturday, April 23 is the Do the Bloom Color Run.  We have more than 470 runners, walkers, joggers and strollers signed up for this fun run.  In fact, there has been such a huge rush on registrations this week that we do not have any spots open in the run.  Sorry!  Hope those of you who missed signing up can join us next year!

2016 Color RunThe course starts and ends at the Depot Arts Center, 611 R Avenue.  The Kids 1 Mile Fun Run will have a turnaround at the half mile mark, where there is a color station and the volunteers will get them headed back to the Depot.  The 5K keeps going past our new running sculpture before a turnaround brings you back to Thrive Community Fitness and then along Cap Sante Marina for the rest of the run.  Here’s a fairly rudimentary map is available if you’d like to peek.

Remember this is a FUN RUN!  We will start in waves every few minutes so that the first color station is ready for you.  If it isn’t raining, we will have a clock out for you to see your time.  However, it is not a timed race.  We have unique prizes for the top three finishers in basic categories of Women, Men, Girls and Boys.  We do our best to track those accurately at the finish line, again this is a FUN RUN!  We are proud of those who finish fastest, however, we are also really proud of those who finish most colorful!

Tip to participants – slow down in the color station, use one of our water sources (squirt bottle, hose nozzle, mister, rain) to get your shirt a little wet – the color makes better patterns when the shirt is a little wet.

Packets can be picked up at our office on Friday from 11:00a.m. – 5:00p.m. (505 O Avenue) or on event day from 8:00a.m. – 10:00a.m. (611 R Avenue).  If you come early, there are a couple of restaurants just a few blocks away for coffee or a light meal.

The run will start at 10:00a.m. in waves of 100 runners or so.

Thanks to our awesome sponsors….Thrive Community Fitness, The Allen Family, Barrett Community Giving, the City of Anacortes and the Port of Anacortes.

And, thanks to the record number of you who are participating.  We are going to have a great time, make sure to bring your cameras for post-race photos!

April events fund Cultural Education

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Anacortes school children are the benefactors of our April Art in Bloom Events.  Through these events the Festival funds the Anacortes School District Cultural Education program, visiting artists in the schools – as well as individual grants for supplies, equipment and education in art, music, and drama for k-12 students.   During March, district seconds graders were bussed to the Mt Baker Theater in Bellingham, where they were treated to a production of  BFG (Big Friendly Giant) – thanks to a Festival grant.   Join us in supporting these efforts by participating in our Art in Bloom events.