FOR MORE INFORMATION
Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce
4069 Broadway, Grove City, OH 43123
Bill Diehl, Executive Director
614/875-9762

 Arts In The Alley 29 Year Old Festival 

            Arts in the Alley, one of Central Ohio’s longest running music and arts festival, had a humble beginning 29 years ago in the alleys of downtown Grove City, Ohio.  The festival has expanded and now is a virtual sea of tents and people covering most of the Town Center district.

            The Sept. 20-21 event will feature more than 100 juried artist and crafter booths and many other artists will have their works on display at various sites.  The festival gets underway at 10 a.m. Saturday through 8 p.m. and from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Sunday.

            “Many people each year plan their early holiday shopping around Arts in the Alley,” according to Bill Diehl, executive director of the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce.  “It’s a great place to find unique gifts for friends and family.”

            The festival will have two full days of free entertainment that includes everything from marching bands, show choirs, jazz, blues, classic rock, folk music, rhythm and blues, easy listening and country music.  There is no admission and parking is free.

            Fine arts and crafts will be shown at the Municipal Building, hundreds of quilts will be on display at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, the youth and adult photography show is at the Grove City Public Library and a youth art show is inside the Safety Building.

            A top cash prize of $1,750.00 will be presented to the best artist depicting Grove City past, present or future.  The Helena McComb Award will award a $500.00 cash prize for the best floral entry in all categories and a $250.00 cash People’s Choice Award will be determined by individual voting at all competition sites.

            Two entertainment stages will offer a variety of talent both days.  A Karaoke Challenge will be held Sunday for children 12 and under.  Children interested in the competition must pre-register for the event and they will be able to select from a pre-selected menu of age and word appropriate music.  Time Warner, the sponsor of last year’s Challenge, won a national award in 2007 for the karaoke event at Arts in the Alley. 

            An open-mike karaoke entertainment event for all children will take place after the Challenge.  Early registration is not required for this event and children will again be allowed to select music from a wide range of music.

            Kids Fun Street is another very popular activity for children 12 and under.  This year, they will be able to make and take home a variety of crafts and balloon animals.

            Arts in the Alley will be preceded again this year by the Grove City Community Parade which starts at 9:30 p.m. at Southwest Boulevard and Broadway.  The parade will move south on Broadway then east on Columbus Street ending at Wilbur Avenue.

            More information about Arts in the Alley is available at 614/875-9762 or at www.gcchamber.org .