Details, additions announced for Smoky Hill River Festival
The countdown has begun as the Salina community is less than two months away from the biggest art and music event in north central Kansas, with the Smoky Hill River Festival kicking off on June 8.
Staff members from Salina Arts and Humanities spoke about the upcoming festival during a briefing Tuesday and announced several changes and additions to the festival, which celebrates its 47th edition this year.
"It is going to be an epic arts party," said Brad Anderson, director of Salina Arts and Humanities. "(We have) four days of kicking off the summer in a huge and fun way."
Anderson started off the briefing by talking about the new branding and logo of the festival, which is featured on this year's festival T-shirt.
"While you were away, the festival rebranded thanks to (graphic artist) Eric Montoy," Anderson said. "He worked with our staff on all the tweaking and...came up with a beautiful design."
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New activities and artists
In addition to the new brand and new logo, this year's festival will also feature more than 60 first-time artists, or more than half of those exhibiting, demonstrating and selling art throughout the festival.
Crystal Hammerschmidt, the visual arts coordinator, said included in that list of new artists is one of the new art installations that will be going up in Oakdale Park.
"This year we have a student group from Fort Hays (State University) that we're really excited about," Hammerschmidt said. "(They'll be) over on the northwest side of the pavilion."
She said the students will be working alongside festival goers on a community weaving project.
"Art is for everyone, so they want to see everybody, whether you're (age) five to 500," Hammerschmidt said. "You'll be able to see those weaving projects kind of evolve over the weekend (and) everyone at the festival can be a part of that."
Another installation piece will be the "Steller Dodecahedron" by Lawrence-based artist Alicia Kelly.
"(It's) a new inflatable (piece), something that she's been experimenting with," Hammerschmidt said.
Ten new food vendors will be joining 20-plus returning favorites with new menu options including a fried lasagna sandwich, picklepenos and moink balls.
As for new activities this year, the family-oriented Artyopolis will feature a new adventure called Construction Junction.
"We're going to fill one of the more open spaces of the park and fill it with recycled goods, some people might call it trash, kids call it treasure," said Anna Pauscher Morawitz.
Morawitz said the children will be able to take these recyclables, use their imaginations and build objects that they can have even more fun with at the festival.
Finally, new this year will be a scavenger hunt with more than 100 colorful dragonflies, hand painted by Kansas City artist Evan "Doodle Dood" Brown, that will be scattered throughout the park on Sunday.
Anderson said to tease the hunt, staff will also hide ten of these dragonflies on Friday and Saturday.
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Music throughout the park
One of the highlights of the river festival is dozens of hours of live music, including this year's headliners Paramount on Friday, Welshy Arms on Saturday and Howard Mahan and Friends on Sunday, all three of which will be performing on the Eric Stein Stage.
Other musical performers will be playing throughout the weekend on a total of four stages with genres of music including rock, jazz, soul, Americana, blues, folk, funk and fusions of nearly everything in-between.
A full list and schedule of performers is found on the festival's website, www.riverfestival.com/entertainment/.
Wristbands on sale next month
Admission to the Smoky Hill River Festival, which takes place from June 8 to 11 at the Oakdale Park, is available by purchasing a festival wristband.
Wristbands will go on sale beginning May 1 and are $15 for a 4-day pass if purchased in advance online or from participating retailers, a list of which can be found online at www.riverfestival.com/participating-retailers/.
After June 6, wristbands can only be purchased on-site and cost $20 for a 4-day pass or $10 for a daily wristband.
This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Salina Arts and Humanities gears up for Smoky Hill River Festival
