60 vendors will be featured at Art Walk in Stackhouse Park

Kelly Urban, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·3 min read

Aug. 24—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — The serenity of nature will serve as the backdrop at an upcoming arts festival.

Art Walk in Stackhouse Park will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Stackhouse Park, 998 Luzerne St., Westmont.

The event will feature arts and crafts vendors, musical entertainment, food vendors, children's activities and a dog contest.

Denise Urban, an event organizer, said that Art Walk in Stackhouse Park was started four years ago when park board members were looking for new fundraising activities.

"Being the artsy crafter person that I am, I thought we should have an arts festival along the trail," she said. "It has really taken off and everyone is on board with it. The first year we had around 800 people, and now we're at 1,500."

This year will feature 60 vendors located along Tioga Trail and around the Tioga Pavilion.

"I didn't even have to look for vendors this year. Three-quarters of them signed up and the others heard about it through friends, so I was able to fill the spots up really quickly," Urban said. "There really has been a lot of interest, and we're also seeing vendors coming from outside the area."

Items include wood carvings, fiber art, jewelry, crocheted and knitted items, candles and soaps, home decor, wooden signs, seasonal wreaths, dog treats and accessories, acrylic and watercolor paintings, handmade jerky, baked goods and SEADS Garden Center's seasonal flowers and plants.

"We have quality artists coming and we curate each one," Urban said. "They are almost all handcrafted items."

Musical entertainment will feature Strings & Bellows from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by Nat & Pat from 2 to 3 p.m. at Spangler Pavilion.

Returning to the festival will be a dog contest from 10 to 11 a.m. at Spangler Pavilion, and it will feature three categories yet to be determined.

There will be first- and second- place prizes for each category.

The entry fee is $5. Applications are available online at www.artwalkinthepark.com.

"People love their pets and are so proud, and every year it grows," Urban said. "Last year, we had a great turnout with all these dressed- up pooches."

A children's area will offer crafts and face-painting.

The StoryWalk, which is located near the Spangler Pavilion, will showcase "Betsy the Rescue Dog" by Marianne Spampinato.

Food and beverage vendors will include Balance Restaurant, Backwoods Kettle Corn, DaJawn Wit Water Ice, Hungry Owl, Kona Ice, Red's Texas BBQ, the Westmont Hilltop High School cross country team, Disobedient Spirits, Noble Stein Brewery Co. and Mill House Cafe & Co.

There will also be raffles with items donated by participating vendors. Winning tickets will be pulled toward the end of the festival.

"People are excited about the venue because you can look down the trail and see all these beautiful trees," Urban said.

Proceeds will benefit Stackhouse Park to maintain the trails and to provide educational programs.

"This helps with whatever the park needs, including purchasing new equipment and fixing the trails, along with the addition of a bathroom," Urban said.

There is no admission fee.

Parking will be available in the Westmont Hilltop Elementary School lot.

A shuttle, provided by McIlwain School Bus Lines Inc., will be available between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. from the Hiram G. Andrews Center, 727 Goucher St., Johnstown.

Golf carts driven by volunteers from For Johnstown will be on site to transport attendees up and down the trail and to help with carrying purchases.

Girl Scout Cadette Troop 46321, of Westmont, will staff the information booth.