It's quintessential Portland: Three days of artists and thousands of art aficionados gathering in one of the more popular neighborhoods in the city — and works being appreciated and sold.
Hopefully it'll be nice weather for the 26th Art in the Pearl, Saturday to Monday, Sept. 3-5, in the North Park Blocks of Pearl District.
The festival returned last year after a one-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it proved to be popular again, even with changes.
The changes remain, as there'll be security fencing with gates all around the festival for security and crowd flow reasons, plenty of space between vendor booths to prevent overcrowding and roving musicians rather than staged ones.
Some 80 juried artists will be showing their works, the best of the best from a candidate pool that topped 500. Once again, the artists come from many states and Canada, and gather at what has been considered one of the country's best art festivals.
In Portland, Art in the Pearl also helps Portland continue to revitalize its downtown after pandemic, protests and overall safety concerns.
"We can keep showing up with this energy. It has a ripple effect," said Ryan McAbery, marketing director and a Portland mixed media artist who specializes in maps on plexiglass and illustrations. "Our positive vibe down there reminds people that the Pearl is a viable district and people should shop there year-round, starting with Art in the Pearl.
"We're a nonprofit that brings education about art to Portland … we've selected a very high-caliber art work. We attract people from the across the U.S. because we do help them continue to make a living in arts. We want to cater to the arts community and let them shine."
Demonstration booths will be hosted by Georgies Ceramics and Clay, Portland Handweavers Guild, Oregon Society of Artists, Portland Society for Calligraphy, Prints Arts Northwest, Golden Road Arts, Guild of Oregon Woodworkers, Pacific NW Sculptors, Creative Metal Arts Guild, Greg Wilbur Metals and Hand Forge.
"Seeing makers in action is super valuable," McAbery said.
Volunteers were still needed, McAbery added. Art in the Pearl is produced each year by about 20 volunteers and working artists who also serve on the board of directors.
The festival will be located between Northwest Davis and Northwest Flanders streets at Northwest Eighth Avenue.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 3-4, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5.
