November 8
Music and art filled downtown this Saturday, Septemeber 26th, during Vangarde Arts second annual Alley Art Festival. Gates opened at 1 pm and greeted a record 944 people (over last year’s 600) until closing at 11 pm.
Not only did the alley ways come to life, but this year the event expanded onto 4th street between Nebraska and Pierce street.
Expanding onto 4th street allowed for more space and social distancing. It also created an area for attendees to browse the 17 local artist vendors who set up shop. With booths ranging from paintings, to photos, to hand crafted jewelry- there was something for everyone.
Also on 4th street, local performer Kelsey Carnival entertained throughout the day. In the evening, bands Central Time, Ghostcat, and Lil’ Ed & The took the stage. Guests sang along, and some even danced as they enjoyed the live music.
The community wall returned again this year, with a stenciled out design painted on the wall as a guide. Using gloves to minimize the spreading of germs, everyone was able to contribute to the art in the alley by painting a spot on the community wall. In addition to the community wall, was a family activity area with a craft for kids to create their own mural like drawing.
In the alleys, 35 new murals made their debut, each with their own unique look. Solo artists also preformed throughout the alleys. With the success of last year’s event, there was a overflow of muralists wanting to join the fun this year.
Registration for the muralist spots were open July 24th-August 21st, requiring sketches of their artwork to be submitted. Once selected, the muralists could begin working on their murals as early as September 12th. While some may have even finished their murals before the festival, most worked on their pieces throughout the day of the event. This gives event goers the experience of seeing the murals come to life in person.
Muralist and member of this year’s planning committee, Jessica Hammond, comments on the event:
“I had a ton of fun organizing and painting a mural for the festival this year. We have a great community of creative people in Siouxland and it was awesome seeing so many amazing artists contribute to this event. Watching this event come to life has been the highlight of my year so far!”
New this year, attendants were encouraged to vote for their favorite mural for the “People’s Choice Award.” This is one of five opportunities for the muralists to win cash prizes. After the completion of the festival, judges will be making their way through the alleys and deciding what they believe are the best murals. The categories are: Best of Show ($1,250), Superior ($750), Excellent ($350), Honorable Mention ($200) and People’s Choice ($100).
The mural winners will be announced at Vangarde Arts on Friday, October 7th.
Sponsors of the Ally Art Festival event: Regina Roth (presenting sponsor), Saturday in the Park, The Warrior hotel, Downtown Partners, State Steel, PPG Paints, Central Bank, The City of Sioux City, and 6 anonymous donors.
Members of the planning committee: Beth Love, Jessica Hammond, Susie Rodriguez, Ragen Cote, Grace Nordquist, JDG Creative, and the Vangarde Arts board.