Art in the Parkgets underway in Boise’s Julia Davis Park Friday and runs through Sunday. The event is an annual fundraiser for the Boise Art Museum (BAM). Art in the Park got its start 59 years ago when artists started hanging their work for sale on a clothesline.
BAM’s executive director Melanie Fales says the event has come a long way since those clothesline days. “I love seeing all of the people who come to Art in the Park,” she says. “No matter who you are, Art in the Park is opening up the access to arts and crafts to everybody.”
Here are the five must-sees:
The Artists: You won’t find a Picasso at Art in the Park but you will find metal smiths, jewelers, furniture makers, painters and more who’ve come from all around the Pacific Northwest and the U.S. to fill Julia Davis Park. There are 260 artists this year, including 73 artists from Idaho. Among them is water colorist Andy Sewell, who has a gallery in Viola, Idaho. Potters Dwight and Regina Masak of Pocatello, and Boise-based felt and fiber artist Jenny Hill are among the vendors.
The Food: Seriously, how can you say no to Pronto Pups and street tacos? There are 37 food vendors this year. And if deep fried hotdogs aren’t your thing, you’ll find everything from crepes and fruit to ethnic cuisine.
The Performers: As you wander through the park, take in local performances at the Gene Harris Bandshell Friday through Sunday afternoon. Latin American group Rosa Dos Ventos kicks off music Friday at 6:00 p.m. Saturday morning at 10:00 catch Boise Rock School followed by Blaze and Kelly, The Afrosonics, and Rebecca Scott Blues Band.
The Children’s Art Tent: You’ll wish you were a kid when you see this tent set up with paints, papers and art materials. Boise Art Museum has this up so kids can make their own versions of art currently on display at the museum. This year’s activities are inspired by Kehinde Wiley who has vibrant portraits at the museum. Kids can also create knockoffs of New York artists Nicholas Kahn and Richard Selesnick. They have an installation at BAM based on Craters of the Moon National Monument called Mars Revisited.
The Garden: Jazz in the Garden happens on Saturday so you’ll want to catch Snake River Jazz from 6:30-9:00 p.m. at BAM’s Sculpture Garden. “It’s a really nice way to end the day,” says Fales.
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