By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – The first night of the 2016 ArtsFest kicked off with style Friday night in downtown Wabash. In addition to the Gallery Walk which had several downtown boutiques and art galleries offering food tastings and artists showing their work, a long table was stretched out in the alley behind Gallery 64 for the sold-out Urban Dinner which served those who signed up a five-course farm-to-table meal.
Officer Chad Galligan walks with the Beatles.
Artist Melissa Denny
Miami County artist Jacob Feazel brought eleven family members to Friday night’s ArtsFest and displayed his army men American flag and full-size Beatles Abbey Road piece. Joyce DeVore, co-owner of the Artistica Gallery, gives her impression of ArtsFest.
Several artists were also creating works of art in the Market / Canal Walk. Melissa Denny, who just opened a new graphic design business at 56 W. Market in downtown Wabash, created a humorous work of art called “You’re Entirely Bonkers” and tells MiBash News what she likes best about ArtsFest.
But the main event for many was the 9th-annual Wabass recital at the Honeywell Center. This year, eight students and three facility members from all over the county participated in the double bass workshop which teaches students new, improvisational approaches to playing their sonorous instrument. Student Michael Fuller came in from Philadelphia for one week in Wabash for the Wabass workshop.
Although many classical pieces were performed at Wabass, there was also a bit of fun as instructor Hal Robinson and three students rocked out to “Carry on Wayward Son.”
ArtsFest continues today with the sold-out Taste The Hops event at the Honeywell House at 3 pm and Jennie Devoe at the Eagles Theatre starting at 7:30.
