The second coming of Artfest, a grassroots presentation of local artists and their works, takes place next month in one of the more beautiful venues for summertime activity.
Artfest 2012 will run in conjunction with August;s Waterfest, in the historic lock 19 area in Cornwall's west end near the Kinsmen Soccer Fields.
The number of artists taking part in the one-day presentation of works including paintings and repurposed fabrics has more than doubled, said organizer Patrick Guindon in an interview.
"This is not a craft show or craft fair," said Guindon of the Aug. 11 event. "We have paintings, including oils and acrylics.
"And some of the artists even take old scraps of fabric and repurpose them into business card holders and things like that."
The event will host over 30 artists from Cornwall and the Seaway Valley, including Ottawa and Montreal. With profit from the registration fees going towards the Heart & Stroke Foundation, local musicians Sara Murphy and Chuck Leclair have stepped in to kick the event up a notch, bringing a variety of musical acts to the art yard for busking. The buskers will donate 50 per cent of their proceeds to the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
Artfest runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free transportation to the Dragonboat Races and all other Waterfest 2012 activities, happening just up the street at the Old Canal, will be available throughout the day.
"We have a really big variety of things available," said Guindon. "This event is kind of the first of its kind...happening outside alongside another festival."
For more information on the event, or to register as an artist, contact Guindon at guindon.patrick@gmail.com, or visit www.cornwallwaterfest.com/artfest.
