Ashley for the Arts and Community

Fortunately threatening rain clouds didn't rain out/dampen the fun and activities this past weekend in Arcadia for its 6th annual Ashley for the Arts with 3 days of arts, exercise and fun. 

That being said there was a variety of activities from local school music programs, dance companies, bands, the Great River Radio Show out of Alma and so many more events all that

Sarah Marie Mullen

take place on Memorial Park's 54 acres.  $5 covers the entrance fee for the 3-day event and all of that goes to non-profit charities. This artsfest was the brain child and made possible by the city's major employer Ashley Furniture Industries whose main sponsorship in addition to other corporations and the help of oodles of volunteers make all of this happen.  
There was something for all ages including a Pursuit of the Arts Bike Race and walk/ run. 

George Gierok uses a chainsaw
 for carving signs

Vendors offering food, arts and crafts along with street musicians/entertainers lined various sections of the 2 miles of sidewalks that connect the park from the Soldier's Walk Memorial section to the Kids playground areas and Pavillion and Amphitheater to the newest addition of a strip of food/drink vendor section. Local Photography along with summaries of area heroes and history also dot the walkways. In addition to entertainment on the 3 stages, there were opportunities for hot air balloon rides, a car show and kid activities such as a balloon sculptor, scavenger hunts and Wild West Cowboys. The Clan Tynker provided street vaudeville with magic tricks, juggling, diablo catching, ribbon dancing and sword swallowing both days with a lot of crowd participation...

It was almost as much fun to watch the crowd as the performers. Both kids and adults alike had big smiles on their faces.

Each year there are growing pains and improvements. Some of these changes included more food vendors, an expanded standing stage view, regularly scheduled bus shuttle service, additional parking, larger stage view with the main stage moving from the Amphitheater onto the big green space enabling more spectators (possibility of 20,000) being able to set up lawn chairs in front of the stage with a better view of the stage in addition to a large screen to see the headliners on the new stage: 

Frankie Valli at 81 still delivering...

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (Friday), The Fray (Sat.) were big draws this year besides Sean Hayes and Easton Corbin on the main stage.
A variety of  entertainers played in the Pavillion...

Amber Grace 

The Memories

2/5 Mondays

Amber Grace, The   Memories and Sidewynder River Rattler. 
The Mondays played on Saturday no less...
Fun dancing music.                               

Playing in the Amphitheater, Cloud Cult, a Viroqua based band, (yes they played Artspire) exemplify integrating the arts as while they play, their music provides inspiration for their 2 artists who work feverishly on different art pieces.

a wedding proposal on stage

 This Friday performance resulted in a fox and a rooster on this the 17th wedding anniversary of the lead singer and fox artist. Thanks for sharing your day with us and also for the wedding proposal the group allowed on stage by 2 serious fans. How fun is that? Did she say "Yes"?   Close, she answered "Sure."

Lanterns were set free ...

Adding to the beautiful Friday evening was another great  sunset for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons Friday night.  Sky Lanterns were released upon night fall. 

Saturday we also enjoyed the classical music of Artaria String Quartet from the Twin Cities who introduced their audience to their love of their craft and its benefits besides sharing their awesome talents on stringed instruments. 

I departed a bit early to catch the Traditional Mexican Dance between the Conquistadores and Aztecas followed by Chicago based  Los Creadorez del Pasito Duranguense  (originally Durango, Mexico) who attracted the area's latino population and really got the crowd moving.

Los Creadorez del Pasito Duranguense

Such great energy and fun besides the fact I got to practice my Spanish.


And all this entertainment for $5 dollars... Truly a gift to many communities. Thank you to all the sponsors for bringing all of us  together. For truth be told without the latino population, there would be no Ashley Furniture Industries nor a lot of other businesses.