Let Art Grow!

The Berea Arts Fest 

Berea Art Fest

Let Art Grow!

The Berea Arts Fest, Inc. is to “encourage involvement” in the arts by sponsoring and promoting activities and opportunities which foster creativity and enhance appreciation of the arts.

The Berea Arts Fest is a one-day, invitational, multi-arts festival held in historic Berea, Ohio.

The Berea Arts Fest

ABOUT

Always held on the second Sunday in September, The Berea Arts Fest is a one-day, invitational, multi-arts festival held in historic Berea, Ohio. The mission of the Berea Arts Fest, Inc., a non-profit, volunteer, 501(c)3 organization, is to  encourage involvement in the arts by sponsoring and promoting activities and opportunities which foster creativity and enhance appreciation of the arts.

The Berea Arts Fest, LET ART GROW.

The 33rd annual festival will be held Sunday, September 10, 2023, from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Front Street, situated in the heart of Berea. Attendance is always FREE and the festival takes place rain or shine. Approximately one hundred professional fine artists and craftspeople will display their works for sale. There are also demonstrating artists, an Art Raffle offering chances to win art donated by the participating artists. Performing artists will entertain from multiple locations on Front St.

This year’s performances will continue to offer quality, diverse experiences in the performing arts with an emphasis on a variety of talent and interactions with the audience.

The Arts Fest committee is especially proud to encourage and support creative people in the community and students of all ages.  In the Special Exhibits area, art & cultural projects are on display from groups throughout the greater Cleveland area: student art from elementary, middle, high school, college and adult education classes from the Berea School District are on display. A unique component of the festival is the Kids Kreation Station. This area offers hands on arts experiences for the entire family. Each year there are approximately 3-4 unique projects that children can complete while at the Fest. All guests can participate in the chalk walk sponsored by the Friends of the Berea Library; food trucks and booths representing local fare offer a wide variety of authentic cultural and local foods; dining and rest areas and security.

All sponsored activities are free, open to the public, and easily accessible. Over 150 community people participate as volunteers. The event has consistently drawn over 11,000 people at each year since 2003.

Meet the Berea Arts Fest Board

  • Dan Karp

    PRESIDENT

  • Rich Cihlar

    COORDINATOR & VISUAL ARTS CHAIR

  • Christie Davenport

    VICE PRESIDENT

  • Meg Montag

    TREASURER

  • Leslie Alton

    SECRETARY

  • Andy Fay

    CORPORATE SUPPORT LEADER

  • Phil Saglibene

    PERFORMING & DEMOSTRATING ARTIST LEADER

  • Gail Tierney

    BOARD RECRUITMENT LEADER

  • Jane Palmer

    GRANT LEADER

  • Celeste Stauber

    EXPEREINCE LEADER

  • Judy Armstrong

    VOLUNTEER TEAM LEADER

  • Pam Strick

    FUNDRAISING LEADER

  • Jim Szudy

    SOCIAL MEDIA LEADER

  • Kim Dettmer

    BRAND LEADER

FEATURES of the Berea Arts Fest

The Berea Arts Fest WELCOME BOOTH will greet attendees to the Fest and is located midway in the show.

The ART RAFFLE offers guests an opportunity to win original art donated by the artists. Funds raised in the Art Raffle booth helps support the Arts Fest and its student scholarships. Artists are encouraged, not required, to donate one of their pieces of art to the Berea Arts Fest Art Raffle. Tickets are sold the day of the event for $1 each or 6 for $5.00 (prices subject to change).

The WAGON RAFFLE offer guest an opportunity to win a wagon overflowing with art supplies and materials for fun at all ages. Funds raised support the Arts Fest. Guests can purchase raffle tickets at the Art Raffle tent.

The CHALK WALK, sponsored by the Friends of the Berea Library, has become a tradition of the Berea Arts Fest. The Chalk Walk takes place on the sidewalk along Bridge Street.  It is not a contest and no prizes are awarded. Anyone interested can stop by to pick up chalk (or you can bring your own) and is encouraged to create original pieces of chalk art.

KIDS KREATION STATION is an area of the Fest that encourages children of all ages to participate in a variety of art projects. There is no registration, and all materials are free of charge. Attendance is drop-in and all ages are invited to participate for a make and take project!

COMMUNITY & COMMERCIAL BOOTHS present, exhibit, and demonstrate a variety of arts or products by groups within the community.

HOSPITALITY is a service provided by the Berea Arts Fest to its volunteers, visual artists and performing artists. At our core the Arts Fest welcomes all, one way we show support is through exceptional hospitality. Local restaurants and businesses donate in-kind items (bakery, fruit, coffee, etc.) and then these items are both carted around to the artists and made available for volunteers (usually early morning) to fuel up. The hospitality group works out of the Berea Arts Fest Volunteer and Hospitality tent located midway down Front St.

RESTAURANTS & FOOD VENDORS – The Berea Arts Fest strives to provide a variety of food options to its attendees and participants on the day of the Fest. There are between six and eight food vendors/food trucks every year serving everything from main meals to snack foods

SHUTTLE SERVICE is provided as a courtesy of Baldwin Wallace University. Shuttles can be picked-up at the Baldwin Wallace Bonds Building (free of charge) located on Eastland Road. Parking is plentiful and also free of charge. In 2005 the Berea Arts Fest partnered with Baldwin Wallace University to offer shuttle service for the first time in its fifteen year history and has continued ever since.