The community is welcomed back to the annual Munson Arts Festival, returning July 23-29 with an additional day, festival favorites and engaging events.
The festival kicks off with the Munson Car Show on Sunday, July 23, bringing together some of the area’s best vintage cars. The Community Car Show will be in the Munson Museum of Art parking lot, while the Fountain Elms Invitational Car Show, an exclusive, invite-only event, will be held on the Fountain Elms lawn. Both shows will run 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The centerpiece Sidewalk Art Show returns, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, for the duration of the festival. The juried art show features 200 works of art from local artists; only those living within 40 miles of Utica can enter. For the first time since the ‘60s, the art show will be moved under a tent to protect visitors and the art from weather conditions, while expanding the display space.
The 8th Annual Big Ol’ Steamrollin’ Print Invitational is back on Thursday, July 27 at 10 a.m. The 25 participating artists make large relief prints under the drum of a 9-ton construction roller from the Oneida County Department of Public Works.
Every day of the festival has something to offer, with children’s crafts, artist talks, nightly music performances, guided tours of the Sporting Fashion: Outdoor Girls 1800 to 1960 exhibition, and much more. A full schedule of events is available at munson.art.
The week of festivities wraps up on Saturday, July 29 with a Closing Day Celebration. This new event includes a full afternoon of family activities and concludes with a neighborhood DJ dance party by Night Vibe Entertainment from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Attendees will be able to celebrate the Sidewalk Art Show winners, enjoy drinks from Woodland Farm Brewery, and dance on a closed Genesee Street.
“The primary reason the Munson Arts Festival exists is to celebrate local talent and creativity,” said Bob Mortis, Munson Arts Festival coordinator. “This includes the artists represented in the Sidewalk Art Show, the printmakers for the steamroller event, the musicians on stage, the bonsai experts, and so many more. I am thrilled that this year’s festival offers more opportunity to showcase our culturally rich community than ever before.”
The Munson Arts Festival is made possible through support from the MetLife Foundation. The Sidewalk Art Show is sponsored by Bank of Utica. The Munson Car Shows are sponsored by Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI) and Steet-Ponte Auto Group.
