Photos courtesy of Caleb Jerman
Every Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce Music and Arts Festival is bigger than the previous year’s, but the 43rd annual event also will be significantly longer.
The festival is slated for July 8-10 – three days, compared to the usual two.
“We’re expanding the festival beyond its traditional days of Saturday and Sunday to include a Friday evening event,” says Malcolm Kates, festival coordinator and coordinator of communications for the Chamber. “It’s a really historic decision and endeavor.”
The festivities launch July 8 in Uptown Westerville with artists and live music at multiple locations. Also new to the festival this year is a VIP reception at the Old Bag of Nails Pub from 8 to 11 p.m. on the first evening of the festival.
“In the (VIP reception) itself, there will be music, hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, and it’s open to the public as well, for a small charge,” says Kates.
The reception hosts local dignitaries, special guests and sponsors. Tickets are $25 and include a wristband for access to the reception and the entire festival.
This is an opportunity to include in the festival the Uptown Westerville merchants that have always wanted to be involved, says Kates.
But Uptown isn’t the only new addition to the festival. The Chamber is expanding the food options as well.
Traditionally, the festival has offered concessions and a carnival feel, says Jase Tyas, food committee chairwoman.
“We’re going to include those again this year,” says Kates. “At the same time, we’re inviting a select number of notable Westerville and Columbus area food trucks to make the food itself more of a draw to the event.”
The food trucks are a chance to bring a whole different demographic to the festival, Tyas says.
“(Food trucks) are very good with social media,” she says, so partnering with them helps to get the word out and to make the food a distinct feature of the festival.
The festival will also be doling out food awards for the first time in its history. Categories include best signature dish, best concession and best food truck.
“We are always finding ways to make (the festival) better while still maintaining the identity that has come about organically,” says Kates.
That is to say, visitors can still expect the cherished events that have kept them coming back year after year, such as the Youth Art Exhibit and innovative local musicians.
The festival is a chance for local artisans and the community as a whole to work together.
“For this one weekend each year, they all come together in a collaborative way,” says Kates, “I think that’s why it’s lasted for as long as it has and continues to grow each year.”
Hailey Stangebye is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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