By Kathy Collins

The 8th Annual Winthrop Arts Festival will be held on Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Winthrop Town Centre located at the intersection of Providence Road and Bloomingdale in Riverview. The festival will be held in Winthrop Common behind the Egg & I.

This is the first year that the art festival is being organized under the auspices of the newly formalized Winthrop Arts, Inc., a non-profit arts organization. The annual festival, which has become an eagerly anticipated yearly event, will continue to feature fine arts and handmade artisan goods along with entertainment.

President of the Winthrop Board of Visionaries Kay Sullivan said, “Winthrop Arts is buzzing with excitement as it seeks to grow the arts and become a destination for the arts and the art lover in each of us.”

In addition to art, guests will find delicious treats provided by the merchants and vendors of Winthrop Town Centre. There will also be a children’s arts area run by the young, emerging artists from the Winthrop Art Factory. According to Sullivan, “The Winthrop Art Factory is a unique after-school arts program coming soon to Winthrop Main Street.”

Several area schools, including Winthrop Charter Schools, Symmes Elementary, Progress Village, Mulrennan Middle School, Strawberry Crest High School, Riverview High School and Blake High School, will be sharing their arts creations with the community at the festival.

The Winthrop Arts Festival is an opportunity for the public to not only see fine art, but to meet the artists and artisans.

The Winthrop Arts Festival is a juried show. Awards for Best of Show, First, Second, Third and Honorable Mention will be announced at an Artists’ Banquet held over the weekend.

New this year is the opportunity for the community to be sponsors including the exciting Friend of Winthrop Art level at $125. The donor will have the opportunity to award a ribbon to an artist who did not receive one of the aforementioned prizes. Visit www.winthropartsorg.

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