Art Festival a highlight of Lewiston's summer

Submitted by the Lewiston Council on the Arts

It’s nearly here! On Saturday, Aug. 9 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), and Sunday, Aug. 10 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), the Lewiston Council on the Arts will spotlight the work of more than 200 artists, musicians, performers and concessionaires who will gather in our lovely village on the river to celebrate creativity, culture, imagination and skill.

“The Lewiston Art Festival is the crown jewel in the LCA’s yearly programming, showcasing our community to tens of thousands of visitors. On behalf of the LCA, I acknowledge with gratitude the continuing support of our elected officials from all levels of government,” Lewiston Council on the Arts Executive Director Maria Fortuna Dean said. “The ongoing investment in the arts from the boards of the Village of Lewiston and the Town of Lewiston, as well as the Niagara County Legislature, recognizes the role our vibrant arts sector plays in driving our community’s economic activity and enhancing our quality of life. Lewiston's reputation as a place for artists and art lovers alike stimulates our business growth, attracts tourism and creates a community where people love to live.”

Scenes from the 2024 Lewiston Art Festival. (Photos by Chelsea Sears, Chelsea Modern Images // Lewiston Council on the Arts)

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Village of Lewiston Mayor Anne Welch said, “We are very excited to welcome back the 59th annual Lewiston Art Festival. Lewiston has never looked better, and people are ready to stroll down Center Street and enjoy the many artists and their works. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Lewiston Council on the Arts for their service, dedication and hard work in making the Art Festival one of our best festivals!”

Town of Lewiston Supervisor Steve Broderick said, “The Lewiston Art Festival is an extremely important part of the Lewiston community and presents a weekend that people look forward to every year. One of the more frequent questions I get from people outside our immediate area is, ‘When is the Lewiston Art Festival?’ Absolutely one of my favorite events of the year.”

Metro Creative Graphics

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The pedestrian-friendly layout will close Center Street to cars from Fourth to Eighth streets, and will fill the village roadway with art and music. WNED/BTPM Classical will be broadcasting live on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with featured performances on the hour by young student musicians. On Saturday, from 1-3 p.m., the Barroom Buzzards will stroll the festival, playing their mix of New Orleans and Dixieland jazz, swing and blues. The internationally renowned Slyboots Circus will be entertaining festivalgoers with music, dance, storytelling, puppetry and circus arts. Look for them from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Saturday, and from 1-3 p.m. Sunday. Slyboots’ festival performances are sponsored by Artpark.

In keeping with our commitment to fostering the development of young artists, College Alley, located in the KeyBank parking lot, will again feature the work of high school and college students. Student artists have the opportunity to gain exhibiting experience without adhering to the more stringent requirements for professional artists. Don’t miss this chance to start collecting the work of these emerging artists!

This year’s Chalk Walk theme is “Escape Into Fantasy,” and we will have 14 teams of all ages, with prize categories for Youth Artists, Emerging Artists, High School, and Advanced Artist (individuals 18 years or older). We are grateful to our sponsors, First Presbyterian Church, KeyBank and Mount St. Mary’s, whose support makes it possible for this to be a true community event. Be sure to grab a piece of chalk and add your special touch to our “Draw With Us” group street mural!

Image courtesy of the LCA

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For participating festival artists, Modern Corporation generously sponsors the “Modern Art Awards” given in six categories: Painting; Mixed Media; Graphic Arts / Photography; Artistic Crafts I: Jewelry; Artistic Crafts II: Ceramic, Glass, Metal; Artistic Crafts III: Wood, Leather, Fiber. Each category will award first-, second- and third-place prizes; Best in Show and Best Booth will also be awarded.

This year’s “Indigenous Experience,” sponsored by AMD Environmental Services and Sevenson Environmental Services, offers a full schedule of Indigenous cultural offerings, all curated by Mary A. Clause (Mohawk/Cayuga) Bear Clan. Programming includes dancing by Hoops of Hope and Resilience, storytelling by Perry Ground, music by Joseph Mahfoud, children’s art activities and a smoke dance competition. The White Pine Dancers will invite festivalgoers to join in Iroquois-style social dances; the steps and songs and the traditional dress will be explained so that all can share firsthand in this wonderful experience.

Visit Richard D. Hamell at the gazebo to learn about the Trail of Treaties, discover one of the largest wampum displays in the U.S., and learn how to make a wampum bead using traditional tools. All are invited to participate in weaving on the “Community Intentions Loom.” Honoring the traditions of our Haudenosaunee neighbors, students and teachers from the Tuscarora Language Program will open and close the Art Festival with addresses in their native tongue. Please see the schedule and visit the Indigenous artisans to experience the rich traditional and contemporary culture of our Haudenosaunee friends and neighbors.

Metro Creative Graphics

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There’s plenty of interactive fun for all ages at the Art Festival this year. Get a henna tattoo (near the clock at Fifth Street), or have your face painted or a caricature done (corner of Center and South Seventh streets). A hands-on Kids Art Zone can be found at booth 730 (across from Tim Hortons): Artpark will have make-and-take art activities on Saturday (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.); Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University will have children’s artmaking on Sunday (1-4 p.m.).

Come visit the wonderful Lewiston Council on the Arts volunteers at the information booth at Fifth and Center to pick up this year’s Art Festival T-shirt and merch. The 2025 image was created by featured artist Nathan Deganis Librera. Nathan’s illustration distills the essence of our two days celebrating art on Center Street in August – see if you can identify familiar Lewiston landmarks! Stop by and meet Nathan at booth 779, near Vincenzo’s Pizza House.

For the safety and comfort of our two- and four-legged friends, we strongly discourage bringing non-service dogs to the festival. If it’s too hot for your bare feet, it’s too hot for their bare paws!

Art Festival sponsors include the Town of Lewiston, Village of Lewiston, Niagara County Legislature, Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, Modern Corporation, Sevenson Environmental Services, AMD Environmental Consultants Inc., and Fran and Marie Williams. Chalk art sponsors include KeyBank, Mount St. Mary’s Hospital and First Presbyterian Church. We are grateful to Tin Pan Alley for providing a delicious sit-down breakfast for the artists!

For more information, visit www.artcouncil.org.

Nathan Deganis Librera (Photo credit: Chelsea Sears, Chelsea Modern Images)

 

Nathan Deganis Librera is featured artist

For over a decade, Buffalo graphic artist and teacher Nathan Deganis Librera has been turning his illustrations into tangible works of art, through screen printing, painting and other media.

“I love the layer-based process of printing – the challenge of having a hand in every stage of production from design and color separations to ink mixing and physically pulling each print,” he said.

Nathan draws inspiration from “home, cats, nature, those magic moments and whatever my mind thinks up.”

He created a custom design for the 2025 Lewiston Art Festival, incorporating local landmarks and festival images, all springing from an artist’s brush.

“Nathan truly captured the energy and spirit of the art festival and our community,” said Maria Fortuna Dean, executive director of Lewiston Council on the Arts. 

More information on Nathan, his art and his classes can be found at https://www.nathandl.com/.

Sponsors

The Town and Village of Lewiston, and the Niagara County Legislature are among the sponsors for this year’s Lewiston Art Festival. Pictured with Lewiston Council on the Arts Executive Director Maria Fortuna Dean, left, is Niagara County Legislator Rebecca Wydysh. (Photo by Chelsea Sears, Chelsea Modern Images)

Fortuna Dean with Village of Lewiston board members Nick Conde, Mayor Anne Welch, Tina Coppins, Jim Fittante and Vic Eydt. (Photo by Chelsea Sears, Chelsea Modern Images)

Fortuna Dean with Town of Lewiston council members Sarah Waechter, Rob Morreale, Supervisor Steve Broderick, John Jacoby and Jason Myers. (Submitted)