By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – The 2016 Arts Fest in downtown Wabash promises to be another year of great art, intimate musical performances and interesting food tastings from all over the world. The Galley Walk kicks off Arts Fest from 5 until 8 pm Friday with several downtown boutiques and art galleries offering food tastings and artists showing their works and various exhibits in participating shops. When attendees are on the Gallery Walk, they can stop by the Charley Creek Inn’s Alley Lounge for a bite to eat and to grab a drink from 5 until 11 pm.
After the Gallery Walk is over at 8, the after party begins with Ft. Wayne-based DJ Trend spinning records in the downtown Canal / Market Walk. If a DJ isn’t your speed, the 9th-annual Wabass recital offers intimate double bass performances from students from all over the country and the world. The recital starts at 7 pm on Friday in the Honeywell Center’s Honeywell Room and tickets are $15.
On Saturday, Gallery 64 offers a jewelry workshop from noon until 3 pm followed by the new Taste the Hops event starting at 3 pm at the Honeywell House. For $15, attendees can sample beers from regional breweries and snack on a spread of tasty munchies, all while learning about the brewing process. Indianapolis-based singer / songwriter Jennie DaVoe will close out Saturday’s festivities with a performance on the Eagles Theatre stage. Tickets are $15.
Michelle Hughes, Coordinator of Arts Fest, on the growth of the event verses the desire to keep things small and intimate.
The final day of Arts Fest on Sunday brings M. Travis DiNicoloa to the Dr. James Ford Historic Home at 2 pm. DiNicoloa, host of “The Art Of The Matter” on Indianapolis Public Television, will tell his stories on arts and culture with a humorous touch. Tickets are $10. Arts Fest ends with an intimate evening with Kristin Chenoweth on the Ford Theater stage starting at 7:30. Chenoweth will perform songs from her best known shows, as well as Broadway standards.
Artistic Director Ranaan Meyer will be doing pop-up performances all over downtown again this year. In addition to Arts Fest events, the Farmers Market will take place in the Honeywell parking lot and the Visual and Performing Arts Summer Theater Camp takes place on Friday and Saturday on the Ford Theater stage.