Latest news with #WinterFantasy
Los Angeles Times
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Spring has sprung: Arts participation blooms at Sawdust Art Festival
The Sawdust Art Festival saw thousands come through the gate last weekend to check out its transformed grounds during the inaugural Spring Fling event in Laguna Beach. Approximately 5,000 tickets were sold — including some annual passes — during the three-day show, said Nancy Villere, vice president of the festival's board of directors. The spring-themed event ran from Friday through Sunday, livening up the grounds with an array of brightly-colored floral displays and interactive stations for visitors to reengage with their creative side. Community contributions from participants, ranging in age from young children to seniors, finished off the colorful murals. The future of the completed community art projects is yet to be determined as festival organizers consider what to do next. 'Every day, we put a new board up, and we removed the existing one,' Villere said. 'We saved it. Our art education director AnnJo Droog would redraw her beautiful floral banner of designs that people could then come the next day and paint in.' People responded to the community art project. 'We kind of realized we could repurpose these and use them around the grounds. For one, it would be a reminder of all the fun that we all had at Spring Fling. There's just some magic that happened that weekend that those pieces captured for us.' At the play house, attendees took turns playing trend-setting fashion designers as they applied decorations to a skirt on a mannequin. There were about five or six art experiences for festival-goers in addition to the opportunity to mingle with and shop for the work of an estimated 150 artists. Among the experiences, visitors also participated in a paper flower-making station. Villere said it was fun to bring the childlike sense of 'no judgment' to the artistic exploration of guests coming to the festival. 'I'm so glad everybody gets what I get when I paint,' Villere said. 'If they get a little bit of that happiness, I'm thrilled.' Apart from the artists with a booth, there were also those who did their best work on stage. The musical performances over the weekend included the Salty Suites, an acoustic band often booked locally. Artist Adam DeVito captured the performance in a drawing. The Sawdust Art Festival, which kicked off its 59th season with Spring Fling, will also have its annual summer show and the holiday-themed Winter Fantasy later in the year.
Los Angeles Times
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Creativity in bloom at Sawdust Art Festival's Spring Fling
The Sawdust Art Festival will open its doors to members of the public looking to satisfy their creative cravings this weekend with a Spring Fling show. Beginning Friday and ending Sunday, the grounds will once again come to life with the sights and sounds that attendees have come to know, from artists working in their booths to musical performances throughout the day. The festival features work from more than 150 artists. Patrons have the opportunity to shop for gifts and add original art to their own collection. 'This is our first real go of having a Spring Fling,' said Michelle Burt, a festival exhibitor who is chairing the weekend's show. 'It's a wonderful opportunity between our Winter Fantasy show and our summer show because that's a down time for our grounds, for our artists, and for anything that we're doing in the community. 'It's been a really lovely opportunity to come up with something new because the summer show has its own vibe, the Winter Fantasy, obviously, has its own theme and decor and offerings and different artists. To have the spring show has just been a magical time because of the opportunity that it's going to give to artists and the community.' Live art demonstrations are coupled with free artist-led classes in a variety of mediums, including mixed media, painting and sculpture. The interactive experience begins at the front door, with new additions in the town square, including an 18-foot spring floral mural, a community tile wall, a floral structure and a selfie palette painted by Burt. Attendees will have the opportunity to create spring-themed tiles and participate in a flower-making station to put their personal touch on some of the activities Burt said. The play house, which has doubled as Santa's workshop in the winter show, has also been transformed with floral art by exhibitor Kate Cleaves. The musical acts will perform on three separate stages daily. Kelly Fitzgerald, the Salty Suites, and Jason Feddy are scheduled for Friday. Entertainment lined up for Saturday includes Rideshare, Local Remedy and Pilot Touhill. Closing out the show on Sunday will be Zach Churchill, the Amanda Castro Band and Selly & the Strays. Tickets for Spring Fling are $12 for general admission, $10 for seniors, and $5 for children between the ages of 6 to 12 years old. Children who are 5 years old and younger get in free. The Sawdust Art Festival is located at 935 Laguna Canyon Road. For more information, visit
