Market Street Magic

In a few weeks, as if by magic, Lewisburg’s historic downtown will be transformed overnight into a one-day, open-air market … otherwise known as the Lewisburg Arts Festival!

This Valley favorite will feature artists’ booths with hand-crafted wares to captivate the eye, food vendors offering mouthwatering treats to tempt the taste buds, free entertainment to delight the ear, and more!

The Lewisburg Arts Council welcomes over 10,000 visitors to its annual Festival, the area’s premier juried-artist show, where there’s so much to see and do, we have to close Market Street to squeeze it all in!

This year’s magical makeover occurs on Saturday, April 29. The Festival opens at 9:45am and closes at 5:00pm.

Like any sleight-of-hand act, this transformation is the result of hours of behind-the-scenes planning and preparation, beginning in October.

As a 100% volunteer-run organization, the Lewisburg Arts Council relies on community members to make this magic happen. One such “magician” is Lewisburg resident Samantha Wyvill, who first volunteered in 2021.

For Wyvill, volunteering “offered an opportunity to introduce myself to my new community, meet new people, and learn new skills.” Since then, she says, it “has given me a sense of personal accomplishment … and … the opportunity to work with an amazing group of people for the benefit of the community. After preparing for months, the reward of seeing the community coming together to share an experience is priceless. And volunteering is a great way to give back.”

The Arts Council also depends on local organizations to assist with the Festival. Members of the Rotary Club of Lewisburg –Sunrise serve coffee and breakfast snacks to vendors in the hours before the Festival opens. President Marian Anderson explains, “Our focus is ‘Service above Self.’ For the community and vendors, it is important for the Festival to be a success, and we enjoy being a part of that while we have fun doing it. We are proud to make a difference in the community, one cup of coffee at a time.” Scouts from Troop 538 help in a number of ways, including opening the Festival with their traditional Flag-raising Ceremony at the Post Office.

The business community also pitches in, with goods, services, and financial support. We are so grateful to each one of our sponsors, who recognize that not everyone is able to travel to see art on display and not everyone can afford to attend live music or dance performances. Their support allows us to bring these arts encounters to the community, free of charge. Please join us in thanking them for helping us connect our community and the arts! (Find a complete list on our website at LewisburgArtsCouncil.com/ celebration-of-the-arts )

For brand-new volunteer Stina Stannik, “The Lewisburg Arts

Festival was already one of my favorite regional events before I even moved to town. There’s something joyous about seeing pedestrians take over Market Street! I’m a casual hobby artist myself and when I wanted to get more involved in community events, I knew volunteering with the Arts Council would be a great way to support arts in the region.”

If you or your business is looking for a way to help make the magic happen, either as a volunteer or as a donor, please email president@lewisburgartscouncil.com or message us on Facebook. Even a LITTLE helps a LOT!

Della Hutchison President, Lewisburg Arts Council