A portrait of local artists, musicians, food vendors, and community volunteers was displayed this Saturday at Cottell Park for the annual Fall Arts Festival put on by The Arts Alliance.
The festival was held on September 20 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and featured over 70 local and regional artists vending their work.
According to festival director Meredith Raffel, the goal of this free event is exposure.
“We want to bring quality art to the community,” Raffel said. “We also want to expose people to different art forms.”
Raffel said that The Art Alliance was better able to achieve this as a result of the venue change. This was the second year it was held at Cottell Park instead of the Mason Municipal building.
“We love this location because we are in a park setting and the artists are on grass, plus the scenery is much more beautiful and serene,” Raffel said.
Artists weren't the only ones being showcased. There were a variety of musical performances done throughout the day by the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra’s String Quintet, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Brass Trio, the P’s in a Pod, the Northern Cincinnati Youth Orchestra, the Blue Night Jazz Band, and the Jefferson Bennett Band.
The festival’s success is due to the various activities available, according to local jeweler John Darlin.
“It’s very family oriented,” Darlin said. “There are arts and crafts activities, kite flying, and Cottell Park’s playground to keep children entertained while parents can browse through art booths."
Patrons were also given the opportunity to make their own art with a Doodle Board open to chalk drawings and a Community Canvas Project where people of all ages could help paint a portrait together.
Raffel said the festival wouldn't be possible without the joint effort of locals.
“We are very grateful for the support of the people coming to the event, the artists displaying their work, and especially for all the students who volunteer,” Raffel said.
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