The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
CB Arts Festival begins Friday evening
By Mark Reaman
The last big weekend of the summer tourism season kicks off Friday with one of the signature Crested Butte events — the Crested Butte Arts Festival. It is number 53 for the festival and it will bring in 120 artists displaying their talent along Elk Avenue starting on Friday at 5 p.m. for the opening evening and running through Sunday at 5 p.m.
“We’re ecstatic to reestablish the festival back on Elk Avenue again this season,” said Crested Butte Arts Festival executive director Andrew Arell. “I’ve heard from so many community members how important maintaining the legacy of this community event on Elk is to them.”
The 120 artists represent 12 artistic mediums including ceramics, painting, jewelry, glass, wood, sculpture and photography. Local nonprofits will be represented in booths on Elk while six food vendors will be located at the Third Street and Elk Avenue food court. Beer, wine and cocktails along with non-alcoholic beverages will be available at the Entertainment Pavillion at Third and Elk.
“Patrons can expect to encounter the same broad spectrum of juried artists from across the country,” explained Arell. “In contrast, we’re proud to exclusively showcase local performing artists on our Community Entertainment Stage throughout the weekend. Hiring only local performers is one testament to how we fulfill our mission of uplifting local arts.”
New this year is a collaborative art project with the local Flags of Intention program (see page 29). All festival attendees are invited to engage in a community-based art project led by Caroline McLean, Neil Windsor and Mimi Mather. Participants will choose a carved block image to ink and print onto a blank flag.
They then will be further prompted to inscribe their flag with positive words of intention.
Strands of completed community flags will be strung in auspicious locations around the valley, imprinting their blessings on the wind, amplifying peace and spreading good wishes across our community.
Entertainment will take place all three days of the festival. Friday night’s band is Mountain Jam, a conglomeration of talented local musicians who will play a tribute to the Allman Brothers. Saturday entertainment kicks off at 10 a.m. with a Kissidugu West Africa Dance and Drum Jam while the Eli Emmitt Band rounds out the day at 3:30 p.m. On Sunday, Rachel Van Slyke takes the stage at noon and the festival closer is Kongo, Evelyn and Turner at 2 o’clock, just as the world famous CB Rotary Rubber Duckie Race is ending on Coal Creek at Totem Pole Park.
Part of the recent CB Arts Festivals has included an art auction. This year more than 90 works have been donated by exhibiting artists. The proceeds from the auction benefit the Artistic Enrichment grant fund that supports the festival’s non-profit mission to awaken and nurture artistic enrichment throughout the Gunnison Valley. The art auction tent will be located at Fourth Street and Elk Avenue. The bidding opens Friday evening and closes on Sunday at 1 p.m. All bidding takes place online at https://cbo.io/app/public/bidapp/cbaf.
“I’d especially like to invite patrons to drop into the Art Auction Tent and bid on one of 90 works donated by participating artists,” said Arell. “Every auction bid helps strengthen our Artistic Enrichment Grant fund—providing essential support for local creatives and arts programming.”
In the interest of attendee safety and to protect artist displays, the festival kindly asks that dogs stay off the festival promenade on Elk Avenue. Arell suggests you enjoy the event with your pup by using the designated ‘Paw Path’ along the sidewalk.
The Arts Festival runs Friday 5-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
