One of North Park’s favorite events is happening this weekend: the North Park Festival of the Arts on Saturday, May 16! If you haven’t been before, it’s a huge outdoor festival that takes over about twelve blocks in the heart of the neighborhood. It’s a sensory smorgasbord, featuring all kinds of visual arts, music, dance, crafts, food, and, naturally, being North Park, craft beer. All proceeds benefit North Park Main Street, the non-profit dedicated to revitalizing the neighborhood’s business improvement district.

There will be four stages, featuring a dozen bands and eighteen dance troupes. There’s a beer garden where the casual beer drinker can have a couple cold ones; and the Waypoint Public Craft Beer Block for the more serious aficionado. (Get your tickets right now for the deeply discounted price of $20!) Food trucks! Live art events! People-watching!

And naturally, Friends of Jefferson will be hosting a booth in the Kids’ Art Block on Grim Street, between University and North Park Way. We will have a big ol’ inflatable slide, a fun paper bag hat craft table, and some “stylists” who will turn your kids’ boring hairdos into multi-colored works of art. All proceeds from our booth will go toward our efforts to support students and teachers, and bring enrichment programs to Jefferson Elementary IB STEAM Magnet.

Also, keep your eyes out for the artwork of Jefferson students. The image you see on this page is a bookmark we had made from the work of one of the winners of the poster contest held at Jefferson back in February. The artwork of these students will be featured around the festival, and the bookmarks and other items with student art will be for sale at our booth and elsewhere.

If you want to volunteer to help out at our booth, it’s not too late! Email us at friendsofjeffersonnp.gmail.com

See you there!