Arts festival, innovation fair to complement each other

On any given day, downtown North Little Rock is a hub of creativity. Known as the Argenta Arts District, it's the home of art galleries and theaters that give a platform for local artists.

But on Saturday, it will be the center of a creative explosion thanks to the tandem Argenta Arts Festival and North Little Rock Mini Maker Faire.

"You get two festivals for one," says Drue Patton, development and marketing director with the Argenta Arts Foundation.

The arts festival used to be the Thea Arts Festival and was organized and presented by the Thea Foundation, which has its headquarters in Argenta. But, Patton explains, while the Thea Foundation wanted to keep the festival going, they had too many other events and activities going on to continue leading it.

"So they passed the torch to us."

This is the fourth year for the festival and while in the past they've closed off Main Street, this year they'll set up shop in the parking lot next to the William F. Laman Library's Argenta Branch and across from the Argenta Community Theater.

A mix of 34 artists signed up for the festival, and their booths will display baskets, ceramics, fiber arts, glass, jewelry, prints, leather and sculpture, all for show and sale. Some of the artists are planning to demonstrate their techniques to interested passersby.

"It's a free family event with artists from all over the state," Patton says. "It will be really interesting and fun to see all the different artists in one place."

People of all ages are encouraged to come out. This is not strictly a "look with your eyes, not your hands" art experience that would necessitate leaving the little ones at home. Some artists will have hands-on activities where children can work out some artistic impulses and burn some energy experimenting with clay and potter's wheels.

It's not all about the visual arts. Musical groups The Cons of Formant, Brown Soul Shoes and Caleb Patton will perform on the library's loading dock.

This year, the festival is setting up alongside a new event: the North Little Rock Mini Maker Faire, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, 201 E. Broadway.

The fair is a "one-day exhibition of creative making." That means exhibitors, tinkerers, science clubs, entrepreneurs and artists displaying innovative technology and gadgetry.

There should be plenty of free parking on the streets around the events, and there's a trolley stop right at the festival. Patton says there will be food vendors at the Maker Faire.

"It's art, science and all the crazy stuff in between," Patton says. "Come be creative and see creativity."

Weekend on 04/30/2015