Main Street Program prepares for first-ever arts festival

Art vendors are being sought for the Aug. 1 event.

The Monongahela Main Street Program is preparing for its first-ever arts festival and is calling for all artists in the region to apply and participate as vendors.

Monongahela Main Street Program board President Karen Langol said the event is called “Shop Through the Arts,” and is the first of its kind in the city. It doesn’t take place until August, but Langol said they’ve already started preparations and opened applications for art vendors.

“I’ve been wishing to do this for a while now, and I always wanted to duplicate the art festival in downtown Pittsburgh, so I thought we could do a version down here of our own and include the shops like they do in Bedford,” Langol said. “As the people are shopping, not only can they go through the art vendors, they can also go through the shops and stuff. So I think it’s a win-win for everybody.”

The Shop Through the Arts festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m Aug. 1 along Main Street. According to Langol, they’re expecting to close the 100, 200, and 300 blocks of the street, and part of Second Street and Third Street will be used as well.

Shops and businesses along Main Street are expected to be included in the festival, according to Langol.

The vendor application can be found on the Monongahela Main Street website at https://monongahelamsp. org. Those who have questions or want more information can contact Langol at karendl603@gmail.com or at moncityshopthruthearts@gmail.com or they can call 724-825-9525.

The application deadline for vendors is May 31 and there is a $30 fee. Langol said vendors must provide their own tents and other supplies, and if needed, they must provide their own source of electricity like a generator.

The event is designed to be for original art, which could include painting, illustrations, sculpture, mixed media, ceramics, textiles, metal working, photography and other similar work. They will not accept resales and craft vendors.

Langol noted that the festival will be a juried show, similar to the Three Rivers Art Festival, meaning that artists’ applications will have to be selected in order to participate.

“We really want this to be a success,” she said to any vendors interested. “We really want your art to be shown so that your names can get out there and people get to know you. And so it’s win for everyone. It’d be a win for Monongahela that we have a successful art show, and it’s a win for you because your name is out there.”

They hope to make Shop Through the Arts an annual event.

They’re also looking for food vendors and volunteers, and Langol encourages anyone interested in helping to reach out to her or anyone at the Monongahela Main Street Program.

Other city entities are already helping prepare for the festival.

“The police are going to work with us to keep the safety of the pedestrians and people,” Langol said. “I’ve spoken to Kevin (Harris), the police chief, so everybody’s on board and ready for this.”