Photo © Sher Stoneman

This upcoming weekend, August 6th through the 8th is shaping up to be a very busy weekend in the Twin Cities, particularly in the art community. It will be a great weekend to get out and enjoy more of summer and some great summer activities.

So our art-centric week continues at 365 with our second day of art festivals. Of course we mentioned the huge Uptown Art Festival coming up this weekend. And today we feature a great alternative for those who aren’t so into the huge crowds, bustle and excitement of Uptown.

The Loring Park Art Festival, while near the urban activity of downtown, is located in a much more serene environment–along the shores of Loring Pond. Nestled between hectic downtown and the Walker Sculpture Garden, Loring Park is an urban oasis, the perfect backdrop for artists to display and sell their works.

The Loring Park Art Festival is produced by Artists for Artists LLP, an organization of three experienced artists. The juried festival is a two day event, running Saturday August 7th from 10am to 6pm, and Sunday the 8th from 10am to 5pm.

The Festival consists of 140 visual artists displaying their orginial artwork in 12×12 booths, as well as strolling musicians, stage performances, activities for kids and much more. There will be food booths on site offering a variety of food and beverages, and plenty of shady trees to picnic under.

A variety of media will be featured from the artists, including painting, photography, printmaking, handmade paper, wood, jewelry, clay, sculpture, fiber, mixed media and glass. There should be something for every taste from the traditional and classical to the modern and abstract.

There are many parking options in the area, most for about $4 or $5 if you drive. A better way to get there is by Metro Transit, as several bus routes stop at Loring Park in their trek between downtown and uptown.

If you want to check out other art fairs happening in the city all in the same day, get on an Art Hop bus provided by Metro Transit and you will ride free of charge to the Uptown Art Fair and/or the Powderhorn Art Fair. For more information on getting to the festival and the Metro Transit Art Hop, visit www.loringparkfestival.com.

For more information on the festival, email info@loringparkartfestival.com, call (612) 203-9911, or visit www.loringparkartfestival.com.