Aberdeen Art Walk at Morrison Riverfront Park July 31

The Aberdeen Art Walk will be held at Morrison Riverfront Park this weekend

By Dave Haviland • July 29, 2021 1:30 am
DAN HAMMOCK | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen Art Walk is back for 2021 this Saturday, with a new look and a new location, at Morrison Riverfront Park. About 40 artists and vendors will be at the park displaying and selling their wares, like these pieces featured at the 2019 event.
DAN HAMMOCK | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen Art Walk is back for 2021 this Saturday, with a new look and a new location, at Morrison Riverfront Park. About 40 artists and vendors will be at the park displaying and selling their wares, like these pieces featured at the 2019 event.

The Aberdeen Art Walk is back this year after taking a year off because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event will take place at Morrison Riverfront Park on Saturday. Typically, the event is held in downtown Aberdeen, with vendors selling their crafts and foods, live music and activities spread across Broadway and neighboring streets.

After last year’s event cancellation, organizers said they have been watching COVID numbers closely in the state of Washington.

“We weren’t sure about what the social distancing rules were going to be in place but we wanted to have the event, so we planned to have it at Morrison Riverfront Park,” Art Walk Committee Chair Tawni Andrews said. “That way we could space everybody out really far and use the whole trail if we needed.”

Andrews added that those restrictions are not in place, and they plan to have about 40 vendors spread out in the parking spaces on both sides of the Aberdeen Rotary Log Pavilion. Organizers do stress that any COVID mandates in place will be enforced, should anything change before the weekend.

With new funding, and many vendors spread thin to meet the growing demand for these type of events, Andrews said this year might look a little different.

“In the past years artists have always been free, but because we’re fully funded by the Aberdeen lodging tax this year, and not having it last year, we made the booth space free for anybody … we have nonprofits, we have businesses, as well as artists — book writers, traditional artists, craft artists, a variety of things,” Andrews said.

Vendors include Grays Harbor Democrat Burgers, NW Best Elephant Ears, Eat Well Catering, Beyond Survival, tattoo and henna artists, theater troupes, woodworkers, engravers, event planners, and artist studios.

The event is presented by ReHABerdeen, a Facebook group that says they strive for the benefit of Aberdeen and surrounding communities. Other sponsors include the city of Aberdeen, and the Rotary Club of Aberdeen.

Entertainment begins at 10 a.m. Saturday on a stage in front of the log pavilion and includes the Juliet Tango Band, Plank Island Theatre, Trade Offer Band, Aberdeen Shakespeare Theatre, and the Illuminate Dance Center.

Andrews said they’ll also host drawings for gift certificates to Billy’s Bar and Grill throughout the day at the booth near the entrance to Morrison Riverfront Park.

DAN HAMMOCK | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen Art Walk is back for 2021 this Saturday, with a new look and a new location, at Morrison Riverfront Park. About 40 artists and vendors will be at the park displaying and selling their wares, like these pieces featured at the 2019 event.

DAN HAMMOCK | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen Art Walk is back for 2021 this Saturday, with a new look and a new location, at Morrison Riverfront Park. About 40 artists and vendors will be at the park displaying and selling their wares, like these pieces featured at the 2019 event.