After its debut in 2023, ArtFest is back this weekend. Here's what organizers learned, changed and are most excited about

GREEN BAY - When Downtown Green Bay Inc. launched ArtFest Green Bay last year, organizers didn’t know what kind of attendance to expect, but they were thrilled with the estimated 30,000 who turned out across three days.

“That’s big. That’s huge. That was validating that people liked it, people wanted it,” said Jen Metcalf, assistant director of Downtown Green Bay.

The inaugural ArtFest came a year after Mosaic Arts Inc. moved its August art fair, Artstreet, from its longtime downtown home to Ashwaubomay Park in Ashwaubenon. The mission was two-fold: celebrate arts and culture in the heart of the city and encourage people to visit the shops, restaurants and other attractions of downtown while they’re there.

“We didn’t want to duplicate Artstreet. We wanted to give people what they wanted, which was an art festival downtown,” Metcalf said. “We wanted to kind of make it unique and different, and so we’re really trying to find those ways.”

ArtFest returns as a two-day event Saturday and Sunday with several popular centerpieces from last year, including a color run along the Fox River Trail, a large-scale community art project and an Experience Art area filled with interactive activities. Presenting sponsors Nicolet Bank and Green Bay Packaging are back as well.

“We took the leap of faith to see if we could pull it off and we did, so year two feels pretty good. We feel like people are going to come and appreciate it,” Metcalf said.

When, where and how much is ArtFest Green Bay?

ArtFest runs from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday (art fair is 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday in downtown’s Adams Street parking lot and along Adams, Jefferson and Cherry streets.

Admission is free. With the exception of the ArtFest Color Run ( $25 registration ), all activities are free.

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What's new? One less day and more artists at the art fair.

When Downtown Green Bay took on ArtFest last year, it didn’t stop doing its many other events, including Fridays on the Fox and the Saturday Farmers Market. To make sure all the fun gets its time in the spotlight this weekend (and that there are enough resources to go around), ArtFest went from three days to two, Metcalf said.

People can unofficially kick off ArtFest weekend with Big Mouth & The Power Tool Horns for the free Fridays on the Fox concert from 6 to 9 p.m. on CityDeck.

Just over 100 artists will be showing and selling their work. That’s up from the 75 registered artists in 2023. More artists was one of the things attendees said they wanted in surveys done after last year’s event, Metcalf said.

How can I help paint a mural under the Ray Nitschke Memorial Bridge?

ArtFest is committed to doing a lasting community art project each year. In 2023, it was a 30-foot, Fox River-inspired clay mural that has been permanently installed on the parking ramp along Walnut Street. This year, it’s a 130-foot-long mural on a wall along the Fox River Trail beneath the Ray Nitschke Memorial Bridge.

The paint-by-numbers mural created by Don Krumpos aund Erin LaBonte of Yonder in Algoma will tell the story and cultural heritage of the Ho-Chunk Nation . The design is under wraps until the event, but it has been inspired by Ken Lewis’ artwork of the 12 feathers representing the 12 clans that make up the Ho-Chunk Nation. It will feature water, a canoe, the feathers and a message of “Love one another” in English and the Ho-Chunk language.

Painting begins at 9 a.m. Saturday and will go until it’s finished, which likely will be sometime the same day, given the popularity of such projects, Metcalf said.

Ho-Chunk Nation is sponsoring the performance stage at ArtFest and will have its drum and dance troupes as part of Saturday's entertainment. Artists will also show beading, drum-making, basketry and other arts in their nearby booth. Stickers on the ground featuring the 12 feathers will lead festival-goers to the mural and teach them about the Ho-Chunk Nation and its connection to Green Bay.

What's happening in the Experience Art area?

Located on Adams Street (near Angelina), the zone features art in action. Visitors can see artist demonstrations; watch the Einstein Project's laser cutters and 3D printers and make their own ArtFest backpack tag to take home; observe as Green Bay Life Drawing participants draw the same model during a three-hour sitting; see old windows turned into works of art to benefit Make-A-Wish Wisconsin; and watch Ukrainian egg artists at work.

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Who are the music headliners?

Hours of the music stage have been tightened to keep them closer to the closing times of the art fair. High-energy horn band Hip Pocket closes out Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the Salute to Sinatra Big Band is back from last year to wrap up the weekend from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

What is there to eat and drink?

Thirteen food trucks will offer a wide array of eats (no traditional burger and brat booth this year). Downtown Green Bay will sell alcoholic beverages, soda and water from a large tent with shade and seating near the stages in the Adams Street lot and from a smaller booth in the middle of the art fair .

More info?

To see full stage schedules, a list of artists, a map of the grounds and opportunities to volunteer, visit downtowngreenbay.com/artfest . Updates of the event are at facebook.com/ArtFestGreenBay .

Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or kmeinert@greenbay.gannett.com . Follow her on X @KendraMeinert .

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: After its debut in 2023, ArtFest is back this weekend. Here's what organizers learned, changed and are most excited about