The 100% Unofficial Upper Arlington Arts Festival Cheat Sheet
Labor Day signals the end of summer. In Arlington, Ohio, it signals the annual Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival. For one day only, Monday, September 3, you can enjoy this art fair from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. This family-oriented event has been produced for over half a century and currently draws 25,000 people for this Festival. Admission is free.
It is held at Northam Park, Northam and Tremont Roads. Northam Park is a 22-acre recreational area with convenient parking, restrooms, water fountain, play area and multi-use path. This becomes the perfect site for the annual fair.
What to Expect at the 2018 Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival
Nearly 200 artists are registered for this event. The organizers have designed the festival with the concept of appealing to a broad range of tastes.
- Painting
- Glass
- Sculpture
- Photography
- Wood
- Jewelry
-
Ceramics
All day long the Entertainment Stage will feature performers to entertain while you enjoy some of the treats from refreshment booths stationed along the way. There will be an Art Activities Area geared toward children, but don’t be surprised to see a few grown ups participating as well. Follow along on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/UALaborDayArtsFestival/) as plans progress.
Upper Arlington Art Festival Juried Art Show
A juried art show means that a panel of experts assembles and evaluates the art work submitted. This year the Upper Arlington judges assembled in March. The three individuals have a wide range of experience with fine arts and fine crafts.
Each artist submits entries digitally. This is a simple process for the artist and allows them to enter any number of festivals electronically. The panel previews digital images in each category and then proceeds to consider three views of the artist’s or crafter’s work plus an overall view of their booth. This gives the panel the opportunity to study the work unhurriedly and rate it on a scale of 1 through 7, with 7 as the high. Then the ratings are calculated and notifications made about whether the work is accepted, rejected or placed on a waiting list.
Emerging artists are judged separately from tenured participants. This category is reserved for individuals who have not exhibited previously and, generally, who are seeking a change in careers.