Paseo Arts Festival brings arts, music and food to Memorial Day weekend

Festival-goers look at pottery at the 2009 Paseo Arts Festival. (Photo by Paul Hellstern/The Oklahoman Archives)

From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.

Paseo’s annual arts fest starts Saturday

Arts for the eyes, music for the ears, treats for the tastebuds and relief for the feet will highlight the 34th annual Paseo Arts Festival.

A Memorial Day weekend tradition, the free festival is set for 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with music playing until 10 p.m. both days, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, with music until 7 p.m., in the historic Paseo Arts District, between NW 28 and Walker to NW 30 and Dewey. The three-day event annually draws 50,000 to 60,000 people.

In addition to the district’s many studios and galleries, more than 75 visiting visual artists will exhibit their works in tents. Their wares will include paintings, photographs, ceramics, woodworking, mixed media, jewelry, sculptures and fiber art.

“We have about 20 new artists this year, so people that come annually will get to see some new artists,” said Lori Oden, executive director of the Paseo Arts Association, which organizes the event. “We have artists from all over the country, but we are proud that over half of our artists are from Oklahoma.”

About 20 young and emerging artists from the Oklahoma Art Guild also will be showcased in the Paseo NOW marketplace.

“Not all artists that are new to the scene are necessarily young, so it’ll be a wide variety (including) some people that have decided to quit their day job and go be an artist full time midlife or have retired and wanted to try their hand at the business of art,” she said.

For the second year, the festival will boast two children’s art areas. Youngsters can make sock puppets, clay sculptures and spin art in the Artists of the Future tent in front of the Contemporary Art Gallery, 2928 Paseo.

Theatre Upon a StarDanceSwan creative dance studio, 3022 Paseo, again will offer Paper Play Theatre, where children can transform different kinds of paper, vintage photos and more into puppets and then devise a story for their characters. With the popularity of the movie “Alice in Wonderland,” Oden anticipates youths will enjoy this year’s tea-party theme, “ImpossibiliTea!”

“It’s really amazing. They really get entranced when they go in there. They really relax and let the creative juices flow,” she said.

In addition, the festival will feature more than 40 musical artists performing on two stages. The North Stage typically offers acoustic music, including ragabilly, Americana and Spanish love songs. The South Stage, sponsored by Wimgo.com, gets electric with rock, pop and reggae. The goal is to bring a diversity of music to the Paseo, said Ed Baldwin, South Stage chairman.