Midwest Salute To the Arts

Back after a hiatus secondary to politics, the Midwest Salute to the Arts is usually the third weekend in August. This free art fair has approximately 100 artists showcasing their work. While it does not have the same atmosphere as Art on the Square, I actually like it better because prices are more reasonable. Parking is plentiful and there is live music and food.
The one downside to it is that they have many of the same artists year after year. I guess the good thing is that the artists keep coming back because it is so good, but at the same time, for the consumer, it can get boring. But if you cannot decide and you have to walk away, chances are you could always get it next year.

I was surprised and impressed by this art fair. It’s a manageable size and the art is much more affordable than at other, more «prestigious» art fairs. I was able to find a pretty copper sculpture and my friend bought a photo print to hang in her office. There were food and drinks for sale, too. I would definitely come back to this art fair, and with the intention of actually purchasing art, no less!

This year was my first trip to this art fair. While it certainly plays second fiddle to Art on the Square in Belleville, this art fair definitely holds it own. It has some great things going for it. They have all of the booths set up under large tents so there is plenty of shade, and there are fans at the corners of the tents to keep people cool in the August heat. There were plenty of artists to see in lots of varieties of artwork and media. I walked out with a photography print for myself, and my friend got a copper whirligig type thing to give as a special and unique wedding present. We went right when it opened in the morning. The weather was cool and the crowds were manageable so that we could talk to a few of the artists and really get in there to see everything. They also had people playing live music on a small stage. When we were leaving, we stopped by the food pavilions to grab some ice tea, and they had lots of food, refreshments, and cold treats. I will definitely check out this art fair again.