Four years after adding the Art Attack Fun Run to the annual ArtWalk agenda, the organizers are expanding it even further for the event’s 20th anniversary.
After the street fair shuts down on Saturday, visitors can enjoy a street dance and beer garden from 7 to 10 p.m. on Broadway Street between Wishkah and Heron.
A beer garden will be set up on the sidewalk, hosted by Steam Donkey and GH Wine Sellars.
DJ music and a light show will be staged by Mystic Sound and Lighting, which is owned by Arnold Ross, 2018 exalted ruler of the Aberdeen Elks.
“He’s amazing,” said Kathi Prieto, who’s co-chairing the event again with Tawni Andrews. “He does all the events for the Elks — New Year’s, Halloween, Thanksgiving — and he puts on a pretty neat show.”
But first, there’s the ArtWalk and Street Fair.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Broadway will be closed to traffic between Market and Heron streets. About 85 artists and vendors also will fill the sidewalks along Wishkah between Broadway and K streets.
“These are things people are making with their hands, and there’s some really neat stuff,” said Prieto.
In addition, there will be plenty of activities for visitors.
Dennis Co. Ace Hardware is sponsoring the pet costume contest, which made its debut last year and is being brought back.
“It was such a hit, and everybody had so much fun with it. There was the pair of iguanas dressed as Fred and Wilma Flintstone, and the goat with the bathing suit and the inner tube around its waist and the goggles,” said Prieto. “So that was a definite bring-back, because you need that really fun factor where you can get the kids and the adults involved.”
Other sponsors include Rotary International, 105.7 the Jet, and Aberdeen Office Equipment.
“We’ve added to Kids Corner to make it more fun for the kids, which helps relax the adults a little bit,” said Prieto. That area will include a giant inflatable obstacle course, balloon animals, face painting and tile painting. It’s also being moved from I Street into the center of the action on Broadway.
New this year will be a live remote by Johnny Manson of Jodesha Broadcasting from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Another newcomer is street chalk artist Kat Bowen. She’ll be an “artist in action” all day Saturday, creating a unique piece on a 6- to 8-foot-square area of the sidewalk.
“They almost look like paintings. It just blows my mind,” said Prieto.
The main stage in the City Center Drug parking lot will feature music, dancing and more — notably the River Ridge Taiko ensemble, which will play from 10:30 to 11 a.m.
Taiko are Japanese drums of various sizes and shapes. River Ridge High School’s ensemble was formed 10 years ago, and Prieto was impressed by a performance she saw last spring in Lacey.
“The noise will just grab your attention. They’re all so in synch,” she said. “They’re really good. And we’ve got them!”
There’s no admission cost on Saturday, and the music and most of the activities are free — even the costume contest.
“We try to make this as free as possible to everybody,” said Prieto.
For those who aren’t exhausted after the ArtWalk and street dance, the fourth annual Art Attack Fun Run will begin Sunday morning at 9 at the Bishop Athletic Complex. Participants may choose a 10K, 5K or 2-mile walk/run. The full $15 registration fee is donated to Grays Harbor Volunteer Search & Rescue.
This element was added to the annual ArtWalk event in 2015.
“It keeps bringing more attention each year, so it’s growing,” said Prieto. “We were really close to letting it go, but then we got such a tremendous response.”
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Art Walk & Street Fair
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Broadway between Market and Heron streets; and Wishkah between Broadway and K streets
Street Dance
7 to 10 p.m. Saturday
Broadway between Wishkah and Heron streets
Art Attack Fun Run
9 a.m. Sunday (registration opens at 8:30)
Starting & ending at Bishop Athletic Complex
More information
AberdeenArtWalk.org
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Main Stage events
(subject to change)
10:30 to 11 a.m., River Ridge Taiko ensemble
11 a.m. to noon, Charles Ahrens
Noon to 12:30 p.m., Pet Costume Contest
1 to 1:30 p.m., Kaleidoscope Belly Dancers
1:30 to 2 p.m., Geoff Hirschfield
2 to 3 p.m., Ty Wolf
3 to 4 p.m., Lisa Ramsauer
File photo Teagan Youmans of Hoquiam paints a tile during the 2012 ArtWalk in downtown Aberdeen. Tile painting will once again be available in the Kids Corner at this year’s event.
File photo Teagan Youmans of Hoquiam paints a tile during the 2012 ArtWalk in downtown Aberdeen. Tile painting will once again be available in the Kids Corner at this year’s event.
