The Arts Festival, put on by the Arts and Cultural Commission each year, will return to Wheeling Park on Saturday, August 3. Dozens of local artists, musicians, and food vendors will be there. If you miss it, you’ll regret it!
The Wheeling Arts and Cultural Commission will hold its annual Arts Festival on August 3, 2024, from 11:00a. to 8:00p. at Wheeling Park. It’s an event commissioners say they are excited to host and one you do not want to miss!
The Commission is a City of Wheeling advisory board consisting of eleven members appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. After taking a few-year hiatus starting in 2020, the group brought the festivities back to the city with a massive show of support!
“It’s our goal to match that success every year,” Chair Bethany Decker said of the event. “We’ve added a few more artist vendors this year along with some spots for local nonprofits and small businesses to advertise.”
Overall, attendees will experience a similar festival to last year with two stages featuring several musical acts, local food trucks serving up the best eats in the Ohio Valley, and dozens of incredibly talented artists. It’s a real hometown event created to celebrate the strengths of our great city!
Music will kick off on the mainstage at 11:00a. with the West Liberty University Steel Cassa band. Ashley Best will take over at 12:30p, Tucker Riggleman and the Cheap Dates at 2:00p, Crandall Creek at 3:30p, Adrian Niles at 5:00p, and Aristotle Jones at 6:30p with the final act of the night. Their second stage will feature Zoe Buccella – Rosezella and the Visions, The Pussyfooters, Company Caravan, Joey Adams, Isaiah Keyz, Epiphany, and Faire May.
Thirty-five local artists will have their crafts and talents on display all day, including Acute Peach, Apartment Two Art, Card art by jes, East Wheeling Clayworks, Gum Village, Wild Heart by Mindi, Retrouvez Studio, Rust Belt Stained Glass Works, Shapelessflame, Spore Print Press and many, many more. A full lineup can be found on the Arts and Cultural Commission’s Facebook page.
This year, Arts Festival will include special community style events, including a full day of writing-related activities and a community art project asking participants to make a fiber art square answering the questions “What does HOME mean to you?”
Decker says she hopes the commission has reestablished the Arts Fest in a “sustainable way, one which future commissioners feel is doable.” Co-chair, Logan Schmitt, says he hopes everyone has a great time. “[I hope} that those who come to the festival are shown how important local art is to our community,” Schmitt said.
In recent years, Wheeling has defined itself as a hub of public art. It’s important we, the citizens of this city, support those in our community working hard to put on events like the Arts Festival. So, Wheeling, make sure to come to Wheeling Park August 3! You’ll regret missing it if you do!
