Don’t be surprised if you encounter roving musicians or mimes at this year’s Art and Soul on the Fox.
Last year a stage was located near the north end of the event, but this year organizers wanted to “freshen it up a bit and make sure the flow was ongoing so you didn’t have one clogged area on the promenade,” said Kate O’Leary, special events coordinator for the City of Elgin.
“We don’t have any static bands this year, there’s going to be some kind of roaming entertainment that will be performing throughout the day. No set schedule, just sort of pop up entertainment vs. static stage,” O’Leary said.
The 11th Annual Art and Soul on the Fox juried art show returns to downtown Elgin’s Riverside Promenade from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 3-4. Admission to the event is free.
The event, a joint effort of the City of Elgin and not-for-profit Art for All, will feature 60 juried artists this year in a wide variety of 2D and 3D mediums, said former Art for All President Karen Castillo and current President Jane Erlandson, co-chairs of the event.
Mediums include painting, drawing, jewelry, sculpture, photography, woodworking, up-cycled art, mixed media, fiber art, glass, digital painting, and ceramics. A full list of exhibiting artists and artisans is available on the event website.
Along with returning favorites, this year’s event has several new features.
“We’re kicking it up a notch,” Erlandson said. “See if we make a difference.”
This year marks the third year the event is located along Riverside Promenade. New this year, Castillo said, is a small group of artists exhibiting inside Dream Hall, 51 S. Grove Ave.
Returning this year is the KidZone with hands-on art activities for children and Oddball Art Labs with their Oddball Art Machine and Oddball Alley.
“They’re expanding and including more artists and some fun activities,” Erlandson said. “They’re a really different type of art, so it really mixes up well.”
Your Neighbor, a new art collective in Elgin, and Goodly Creatures Theatre will also be on site. Henna body art and tintype portraits will be available for a fee.
Also new this year is the wine and beer tent, an addition made following requests by attendees.
“There were people last year saying it might be kind of nice after taking a walk up and down they could maybe stop for a glass of wine, discuss some of the pieces and either revisit the artist or go back and purchase some things at the end of the day after having that little break,” O’Leary said.
“We’re also setting up some pretty popular, cool food booths instead of having food trucks this year,” Erlandson said. “This is all going to be towards the south end of the show, in between Grove and the River Promenade.”
Attendees that fill out a survey will have the chance to win donated gift cards/certificates from area businesses or ArtBuck$, Castillo said. Art for All is donating ArtBuck$, which can be used during the event toward the purchase of art. ArtBuck$ are also available on WRMN 1410 AM Radio Shopping Show.
“You can shop on that to get some cool pricing for ArtBuck$,” Erlandson said.
Live entertainment includes Nicholas Metzger and his students providing keyboard and vocal styling both days; classical guitarist Kevin Brown; vocalist and acoustic guitarist Mary Lai; acoustic duo Make it a Double; roving violinist Jennifer Silk and The Unicorn Mime Ensemble.
“It’s lead by Carleton the Mime. He has a group of students that he taught, and they’re going to be engaging with the artist and crowd throughout the day,” Erlandson said. “We’re paying him, but he’s giving all the money to the kids so they learn the importance of being paid for their art and the value of that.”
Art and Soul on the Fox
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When: Aug. 3-4
Where: Riverside Promenade, on Riverside Drive between Chicago and Prairie streets, Elgin
Tickets: Free
Information: www.elginartandsoul.com
Kathy Cichon is a freelance reporter for the Courier-News.