Art festival returns with music, food

Staff report

NEW CASTLE, PA.

The New Castle Arts Fest will be Saturday and Sunday in Cascade Park with the theme Art, Eats & Beats. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. both days.

The music and food will be as diverse as the rows of booths representing regional artwork, including painters, sculptors, blown glass, photographers and handcrafted-jewelry makers. Vendors will offer both traditional fair food and gourmet specialties.

A 5K Run/Walk and Children’s Fun Run will kick off Saturday morning’s festivities. Registration ($5) begins at 8 a.m., and the Run/Walk will start at 9:30. Immediately after the 5K, a 1-mile Children’s Fun Run will take place for children 12 and under.

Live demonstrations will include chainsaw sculpting and pottery throwing. A large children’s area will offer ongoing activities including gumball art and art project stations.

The arts area also will feature a judged regional show sponsored by the Hoyt Center for the Arts. Saturday’s main stage entertainment includes the Dante DiThomas Swing Band, Karminooch, Making Changes and James Willaman Situation. Sunday’s headliners feature New Castle Playhouse Mini Stars, Max Schang and Sweaty Betty Blues Band, with a finale by Michael Austin Project.

The festival salutes New Castle’s reputation as the Fireworks Capital of America with a skyrocket extravaganza display. Fabricated by the Lawrence County Career and Technical Center, the rockets were sponsored and decorated by local businesses, artists and organizations. Students from New Castle, Neshannock and Mohawk high schools, George Washington Intermediate School and Lawrence County Career and Technical Center, as well as the Hoyt, participated. The rockets will be on display at the Art Fest both days.

For information, go to ncartfest.com.