Keuka Arts Festival is this Saturday, Sunday

PENN YAN--The Keuka Arts Festival will be returning to the Keuka Outlet, Saturday and Sunday this weekend, June 11 and 12.
Organizers of the festival are excited about the energy surrounding this year's event.
"We had to cancel the 2020 festival," said Committee Co-chair Karen Morris, "and the 2021 Festival was postponed until September. Between the pandemic and change of dates, last year was really more of a 'stop-gap.'" Morris explained the pandemic years were particularly hard on artists who depend upon the summer "festival circuit" for a large portion of their yearly income.
"We've seen a number of artists who simply stopped creating because they were overwhelmed by the pandemic," Morris said. "Many older artists decided the last two years were the time to retire from active involvement and younger artists didn't have the opportunity to get a running start in their businesses because so many festivals were still on hiatus."
This year's Keuka Arts Festival, along the scenic Outlet Trail in the historic village of Penn Yan, promises to be much more dynamic.
"So far we have more than 70 artists and vendors from around the region participating," stated Committee Co-chair Cindy Kowalski. "Almost half the vendors are new to our event. The mix of artists includes painters, jewelers, potters, sculptors and woodworkers as well as handcrafted metal, fiber and glasswork."
Returning favorites include "best booth winners" IDEA Collective and Short Line Spikes, jewelers Janis Long, Gerina Faison, and Elizabeth Lassing; painters Fred Lawrenson, Eli Thomas and Nancy Curran; photographers Michael Weishan and Holly Lawrenson; potters Kim Cutler and Katie Brockman; as well as Bayside Wood Products, Slate Accents and Jeanne's Garden. New artists from Pennsylvania (Fine Line Leather Designs, Custom Creations and MarkArt 200), the greater Rochester area (Lulu & Juju, Pluck and Kalli by DeZign) and Corning/Ithaca (Water of Whimsy, Gbird Knots and Sheri's Art) as well as the debut of several Yates County artists (Colorful Chaos Studio baskets, Spellcraft Woodworks and the Studio @ 126 Main) look forward to the event.
Musical performances are also an added appeal of the festival. This year's musicians include Three Stone Fire (Celtic), Feedback (Classic Rock and Motown), Emily Angell (Pop), Artistic License, Steve Grills and the Roadmasters (Blues), the Mount Vernon Men's Chorus (Gospel), John Bolger (Blues, Swing, Rock) and Anthony Santiago (Latin). The bands will be performing on two stages throughout both days of the festival.
No festival would be complete without food, and festival organizers are excited to welcome back Thelma's Mobile Kitchen along with Greene's Smokin' Barbecue, the 315 Food Truck and more. Local wineries and distilleries will be offering tastings at stations scattered around the displays (look for Weis Vineyards, Point of the Bluff Vineyard and Ravine's Wine Cellar along with Krooked Tusker and Antler Run distilleries) and sweet snacks and gourmet foodstuffs abound (Seneca Farms ice cream, KP Kettle Corn, The Sprinkle Starship, Indian Pines, Shepard Maple and Honey, Nectar of the Vine) to name a few.
"This is a huge undertaking," says Kowalski "and our volunteers make it all work." Anyone interesting in volunteering during the festival can contact the Arts Center of Yates County at 315-536-8226 to sign up for a shift.
Sponsors for the 2022 arts festival include the Yates Endowment at the Rochester Area Community Foundation, Community Bank, Ferro Corporation, 1897 Beekman House, Knapp and Schlappi. For more information, visit the Keuka Arts Festival website at www.keukaartsfestival.com. Admission to the Arts Festival is free. Parking is free.