Your ultimate guide to the 72nd annual ‘Art in the Park’ festival in Richland

Allied Arts Association wants to reintroduce the Tri-Cities to its annual fundraiser by turning Art in the Park into a two-day festival.

The free event is 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, July 28, and Saturday, July 29, at Howard Amon Park along the Columbia River in Richland.

The event draws thousands of people and happens to coincide with the first two days of the Tri-City Water Follies hydroplane races.

Brandie Saintclaire, director of Art in the Park, said this year will be something totally new. The event, sponsored by STCU, is completely ran by volunteers.

“This would be our re-introduction to the community,” Saintclaire said.

The expansion to a festival is due to growth and support from the community. New to the event this year is a sculpture garden, which includes art pieces that are 20-feet tall.

Nathan Robles and Hugh Warren will be coordinating and creating the sculpture garden. There will also be a mural by Heidi Elkington.

The artists are chosen based on the quality of work presented and to show different representations of different art styles.

“We wanted to focus more on the experience so we went for quality over quantity,” Saintclaire said.

There will be over 100 new artists that haven’t been there before attending from around the nation. In 2021 they had 103 artists showing at the event but this year, there were over 860 applications that went through screening.

More than 300 artists were chosen to showcase their art this year. Exhibitors will include experts and individuals that are starting to make a name for themselves.

All of the proceeds go to support their mission, featuring artists at the event, gallery at the park and scholarships for artists.

Art in the Park will be using this event to also support the local businesses selling their original art pieces such as 2D art, jewelry and photographs.

“There’s something (for) everyone…. It’s not specific to any demographic,” Saintclaire said.

What to know to go

▪ Because of limited parking in the park area, Ben Franklin Transit will be providing free shuttles to the park every 15 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

The shuttles will run back and forth between the park and Richland High’s Fran Rish Stadium, with stops at the Knight Street Transit Center, John Dam Plaza and George Washington Way and Lee Boulevard.

▪ Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets that can be set up at the large pavilion in front of the stage where they can watch performers.

▪ Live music will be featured from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

▪ A beer garden is organized by Moonshot Brewing and food trucks also will be on-hand.

The Kiwanis Club of Richland will be hosting their annual Pancake Breakfast at the festival this year. They will be between the Richland Community Center and the tennis courts both Friday and Saturday mornings.

The annual Salmon Dinner fundraiser isn’t taking place at the event this year, though the Rod and Gun Club does have other fundraisers planned.

▪ The weather is expected to be in the low to mid-90s at the festival.

For more information, visit Artintheparkfestival.com.

Maria Jaiyeola is a University of North Georgia student journalist from Yakima.