Eureka Springs’ Arts Festival celebrates 30th year

Every May, the city of Eureka Springs, Arkansas shines a spotlight on the arts with a month-long festival that celebrates the visual and performing arts.

Colorful, quirky, energetic and sometimes surprising, the ArtRageous Parade is the traditional kick-off of the Festival. Enjoy the stream of floats, art cars, walkers, dancers, musicians, jugglers and dance groups on Saturday, May 6 at 2 p.m. This year’s posthumous parade Grand Marshal is artist Max Elbo.

One of the month-long exhibits will be The Four Seasons Project. The project consists of four separate mobiles, each representing the beauty of our four seasons. Each mobile is unique structurally, representational of the season it depicts and each an estimated six to eight feet in diameter. Eureka Janet Alexander is the producer, designer and constructor of the mobiles. John Stallings is the engineer, designer and constructor of the structures.

The Four Seasons Project will be unveiled on Friday, May 5 in Basin Spring Park at 6 p.m. and the sculptures will be on display for the entire month of May. On Saturday, May 13, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eureka Janet will be in Basin Spring Park. Stop by and learn all about her mobiles and build your own miniature to take home.

The Eurekan Spectacle, another featured festival project, is an augmented reality-based experiential app that allows users to witness a Shakespearean play at various real-world locations around Eureka Springs. The Eurekan Spectacle will go live May 1 with a launch party to follow on Thursday, May 4 at 6 p.m. in Basin Spring Park.

Visitors will be directed to www.eurekanspectacle.com for download instructions and a walking tour map. The producer and director of The Eurekan Spectacle is MacKenzie Doss; technical director is Edward Robison.

The Second Annual Nuits Rosé Eureka Springs Wine Fest will be celebrated May 12, 13 and 14. Various restaurants and lounges around Eureka Springs will be offering rosé tastings, flights and pairings to serve with special menu items during this rosé wine festival.

One of the month’s most festive and well-attended events is the annual White Street Studio Walk, which takes place May 19, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Historic White Street is the working address of a large number of local artists who welcome the public into their homes and studios to view their latest works.

Many more events including classes, art fairs and gallery receptions fill up the calendar for the month. For more information and a full calendar of events, visit www.eurekaspringsfestivalofthearts.com.

Copyright 2017 The Gayly – May 3, 2017 @ 9:40 a.m.