Crested Butte Arts Festival Art Festivals & Gallery Walks Celebrate Originality of Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado Art Events Calendar for Summer/Fall 2009 Announced The arts are a permanent part of Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado’s culture. The communities have celebrated creativity during three longtime art festivals set against the beauty of the Colorado Rockies: 37th annual Crested Butte Festival of the Arts, 36th annual Gunnison Art in the Park, and 21st annual The People’s Fair. From June to September, Crested Butte’s ArtWalk Evenings bring art enthusiasts on a tour of the galleries on the last Thursday evening of the month. There is no admission charge for the festivals or gallery evenings. Two well-respected arts centers—Gunnison Arts Center and Crested Butte Center for the Arts—also bring a wealth of cultural offerings and art exhibits to the communities throughout the year. Visit www.GunnisonArtsCenter.org and www.CrestedButteArts.org. Schedule of Art Events July 26 36th Annual Gunnison Art in the Park, Legion Park July 30 ArtWalk Evening, Crested Butte Galleries & Studios August 1 – 2 37th Annual Crested Butte Arts Festival, Elk Avenue August 7 Gunnison Gallery Crawl, Gunnison Galleries & Businesses August 22 High Octane Arts & Crafts Festival, Gunnison’s Legion Park August 27 ArtWalk Evening, Crested Butte Galleries & Studios September 4 Gunnison Gallery Crawl, Gunnison Galleries & Businesses September 5 – 6 21st Annual The People’s Fair, Elk Avenue, Crested Butte September 24 ArtWalk Evening, Crested Butte Galleries & Studios Gunnison Gallery Crawl, Aug. 7, Sept. 4 On the first Friday evening of every month, Gunnison Gallery, Gunnison Arts Center, Brick Cellar, Flying Burritos and Mochas welcome art-lovers to gather and view great art from 5-8 p.m. Call Gunnison Gallery for more information at (970) 641-2666. ArtWalk Evenings, July 30, August 27 & September 24 ArtWalk Evenings takes place the last Thursday of June, July, August and September from 5 – 8 p.m. in Crested Butte. ArtWalk is organized by Artists of the West Elks and features stops at several studios and galleries. Light refreshments, music and on-site artists are featured at many of the locations. For more information, contact Rebecca Weil at (970) 349-9247or visit www.awearts.org. 36th Annual Gunnison Art in the Park, July 26 Gunnison’s Legion Park serves as the backdrop for the 36th annual Gunnison Art in the Park, organized by the local chapter of American Association of University Women (AAUW). On July 26, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., approximately 60 artists will exhibit and sell their creations during this juried event. Live entertainment, activities for kids, and food and beverage booths also are part of the fun. Proceeds from the event benefit AAUW’s local scholarship program for nontraditional students attending Western State College in Gunnison; AAUW’s national education foundation; and a local project that is selected annually. For more information, contact Ronda Connaway at (970) 641-2638. 37th Annual Crested Butte Arts Festival, August 1 - 2 The Crested Butte Arts Festival (CBAF) is one of the biggest weekends of the summer, drawing world-class artists from all 50 states and several international exhibitors. CBAF is one of the top five art festivals in Colorado and ranked among the 60 best shows in the nation by The Harris List. Open-air fine arts and crafts booths line the three-block center of Crested Butte’s National Historic District featuring approximately 175 artists who are selected through a very competitive jury process and exhibit their one-of-a-kind works in ceramics, drawing and graphics, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, sculpture, wearable art and wood. New additions to the festival include an art auction on Aug. 1 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., located at the entrance to the festival. More than 150 items have been donated by 2008 and 2009 exhibiting artists. Also look for “Art Alley,” a hands-on arts and crafts tent for children ages 2 - 12 and their parents; the Artists of the West Elks co-op booths featuring the work of more than 20 local Gunnison Country artists; and an artists’ demonstration tent with exhibiting artists demonstrating their craft during festival hours. In addition, there will be musical entertainment on the Ragged Mountain Stage from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, a beer and wine pavilion, and a variety of gourmet food selections available at the festival's culinary court. For more information, and a list of exhibitors and performing artists, call (970) 349-1184 or visit www.crestedbutteartsfestival.com. High Octane Arts & Crafts Festival, August 22 The Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce invites arts and crafts lovers to experience the High Octane Arts & Crafts Festival being held in conjunction with the Gunnison Car Show on Aug. 22. The festival showcases arts and crafts from around the region and will be held from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Legion Park, located across the street from Jorgensen Park where the car show will be held. Great food and fun for the whole family are on tap. Call (970) 641-1501 or visit www.gunnisonchamber.com. 21st Annual The People’s Fair, September 5 - 6 The Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend marks the return of The People’s Fair in historic downtown Crested Butte. Hundreds of locals and visitors will stroll Elk Avenue on Sept. 5 and 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to take in this homespun cultural experience and to soak in the last of the high country summer. The People’s Fair features an eclectic mix of booths showcasing regional arts and crafts, collectibles and antiques, and preserved foods from local gardens as well as fun for kids, live music, a tasty fair food, and nonprofit organization booths selling books, CDs, baked goods and more. The festival coincides with the annual Labor Day Sidewalk Sale on Elk Avenue, making the day a shoppers delight! Since 1988, The People’s Fair has been made possible by the volunteer efforts of the artist members of The Paragon Gallery, a cooperatively owned arts and crafts gallery in downtown Crested Butte, located at 132 Elk Ave. For more information, contact The Paragon Gallery at (970) 349-6484.
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