It may not be sweater season but that won’t stop Anne McKeown from displaying her creations at Evanston’s Ethnic Arts Festival next weekend.
McKeown, 63, a native of Belfast, designs, crochets and knits the sweaters with sisters, Elizabeth Savage, her twin, and Moira Riley. She moved to Glenview in 1973 but the sisters, who live in Belfast, help design the sweaters and order the wool.
“I am hoping for good weather,” McKeown said. “I remember two years ago it rained so hard and we covered the sweaters with a tarp. The rain was so heavy, it collapsed.”
The city is hosting the 20th annual festival, which will feature the work of 125 artists at Dawes Park, Sheridan Road and Church Street, from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Touted by organizers as a two-day trip around the world, the festival will feature music, dance and food from various cultures.
The entertainment includes Irish and African dance groups, folk singer Ella Jenkins, bluegrass band the Hackensaw Boys and Grammy nominee Angel Melendez y Su Orquesta, a nine-piece mambo band.
At noon Saturday there will be a parade of nations and Phava, a gospel group, will perform.