SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — The time has arrived for the annual Summerside Arts Festival.
Aimed at celebrating the arts in the city and bringing awareness to the role it plays in building the community, the event has grown and changed thanks to several components and cultural partners.
The festival originally started over a decade ago as Arts in Motion - Chautauqua and is organized by Wyatt Heritage Properties Inc. and Culture Summerside.
But the 2019 instalment will see a new component: "Automatic Art".
Artwork by some of Summerside and area visual artists have been transposed onto car magnets to create a moving art exhibit. Volunteer drivers are sporting the art magnets on the side of their cars as they drive about the city and Island. "Automatic Art" will run from July 15 to 24.
Another new component is the drive-thru exhibit. On July 23 and 24 Prince Street, which runs through the centre of Wyatt Heritage Properties, will be turned into an open-air art gallery. The public is invited to enter off of Granville Street and slowly drive down Prince Street viewing the reproduced and original works of local artists that have been enlarged for easy viewing. Drivers will exit unto Spring Street and never have to leave their cars. The exhibit hours are from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
While visual arts play a large role in the festival, there are a number of outdoor concerts as well.
During the three days of the public arts festival events over 30 artists, artisans and musicians will line the sidewalk of downtown Water Street from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to demonstrate their work and interact with the public.
This year, there is also the addition of workshops on felting, painting, drawing, basket weaving and cooking Acadian cuisine.
People can learn more about the workshops and register by going to the festival website, www.wyattheritagepropertiesinc.com.
The Summerside Arts Festival At a Glance
- Festival runs from July 22 to 24
- "Automatic Art": July 15 to 24
- Drive-thru exhibit: July 23 and 24 from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Daniel Drouin and The Ellis Family Band: July 22 (evening)
- Soul Filter Band and Rachel Beck: July 23 (evening)
- Nick Doneff and Nathan Wiley Band: July 24 (evening)
- Public art displays: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. along Water Street
- Chainsaw carving with Wayne Ellis and Justin Drummond: 2 to 5 p.m., July 22
- Quilt and rug-hooking show July 22 to 24 at St. Mary's Hall
