JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The artistic side of the area will be celebrated at this festival.
Bottle Works will host its Third Avenue Folk & Arts Festival Friday through Sunday at the art center’s campus, 411 Third Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.
The event will feature live musical entertainment, art vendors and demonstrations, and food trucks.
“This is an opportunity to showcase the regional talent in all art forms, from music to traditional art to fine art,” said Melody Tisinger, Bottle Works’ director of advancement and operations.
The festival will kick off at 5 p.m. Friday with the Tombola Art Auction.
“This year, we really tried to bring back and create memorable events to celebrate our 30th anniversary,” Tisinger said. “Tombola was an event that we did in the early years of the organization, and it was a smash hit. All the artwork in the auctions is donated.”
Auction items include paintings, metal woven jewelry, handmade quilts and other fiber pieces.
Guests who purchase a ticket to the event will be entered in a drawing to choose an original piece of artwork with a starting value of $100.
Upon arrival, attendees will be given a numbered ticket. The first drawn ticket will have their pick of all of the art pieces. The process will continue, with the final ticket drawn taking home the last remaining piece.
At 8:30 p.m., there will be a dance performance by Fire N’At fire dancers.
The Whiskey Panhandlers will entertain at 9 p.m.
Tickets for the auction are $100 and can be purchased by calling 814-535-2020 or online at www.bottleworks.org.
“The ticket proceeds help us move the mission forward,” Tisinger said. “Everyone across the board is giving back. It’s a beautiful thing.”
Musical entertainment on Saturday will include The Evergreens at 12:30 p.m.; Rachel Allen & Friends at 3 p.m.; Matt Otis & the Sound at 6 p.m.; and a glow party featuring DJ Elbow Knee Knee at 8:30 p.m.
On Sunday, Strings and Bellows will entertain at noon, followed by Jason Gamble at 2:30 p.m. and Jazz Trip at 4:30 p.m.
“For this year’s festival, we brought back fan favorites like Matt Otis and the Sound, The Evergreens and Jason Gamble, and we are excited to welcome some new faces to the lineup,” Tisinger said. “On Saturday night, festival goers will get to enjoy our first glow party. We wanted to add a hip flavor to the festival, and this DJ set is sure to do that.”
In addition to art vendors and demonstrations, two exhibits will be on display.
The Arts Works Gallery is showcasing “Concentric,” which features architectural drawings and traditional Byzantine icons by Patrick S. Ditko and pen and ink drawings and sculpture by Patrick J. Ditko.
The father-and-son duo create together and individually on various types of projects.
In the AmeriServ Activity Center, the Club Works show features drawings, paintings and fiber creations. Both exhibits are on display through Aug. 12.
Food will be available for purchase from Dunny’s Pizza, Grub Shack, Kona Ice and Good Times Ice Cream Bus.
Tisinger said the festival is a way for people to learn more about the arts and culture scene in Johnstown.
“We want to provide something fun for families,” she said.
“It’s a chance to discover the local artists who are here and what Bottle Works does.”
Event sponsors are the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, AmeriServ Financial and Fosters Landscaping.
There is no admission fee.
For more information, call 814-535-2020 or visit www.bottleworks.org.
