MUSKEGON, MI – With almost 300 exhibitors and lots of new offerings, Lakeshore Art Festival 2017 had downtown Muskegon hopping on its first day, Friday, July 7.
Festivities began at 10 a.m., and the downtown area quickly filled attendees who watched street performers, contributed to community art and browsed the craft and fine art booths on West Western Avenue, Third Street, Clay Avenue, Fourth Street and in Hackley Park.
One early highlight was a U.S. Army band on the Olthoff Street Stage on Third Street. The band entertained with songs such as “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne.
This year’s festival is scheduled for 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, July 7, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, July 8.
The annual event typically draws tens of thousands of people to downtown Muskegon.
For the first time, Lakeshore Art Festival is offering a beer garden, featuring wine and craft beer in Hackley Park. While the park isn’t fenced off, festival workers are asking people to finish their beverages before leaving the park. The garden is coordinated with the Greater Muskegon Jaycees.
On Friday morning, visitors were already filling in Forrest Hanson’s sketches of Muskegon-area landmarks. The boards are located in the traffic circle at the intersection of Third Street and West Western Avenue.
Artists TerriLynn Lake and Sarah Landstrom were already hard at work on their creations for the festival. Lake is creating a 4 foot by 11 foot chalk art replica of Edward Curtis’ Thunderbirds & Whales on Clay Avenue along the exterior of Hackley Park. Landstorm is in the traffic cirlce at Third and West Western painting a kayak donated by KL Outdoor, which will be auctioned off during the festival.