The Bellevue Arts Museum ArtsFair – the largest annual arts festival in the Pacific Northwest – is expected to draw more than 350,000 visitors to downtown Bellevue this weekend.
In its 62nd year, the free event will feature more than 300 artist booths, artist demonstrations, entertainment and kids fair. It will run this Friday, July 25, through Sunday, July 27 at the Bellevue Arts Museum and the Bellevue Collection, on Bellevue Way Northeast.
Represented media includes ceramics, drawing and pastels, fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, wearables and much more.
In addition to the ArtsFair event, the Sixth Street Fair and Bellevue Festival of the Arts also will be held. The Sixth Street Fair will feature more than 120 artists, a wide-ranging display of sculpture, jewelry, home décor, glass work and more at Northeast Sixth Street and 106th Avenue Northeast.
Just north of Bellevue Square, the Festival of the Arts will offer jewelry, photography, textiles and fine art at the Cost Plus World Market parking lot, 10300 N.E. Eighth St.
Elisabeth Wahlers, ArtsFair director, expects this year to be even more of a success with the expansion of the Arts in Action Demonstrations into Lincoln Square, and the museum’s annual fundraiser, the Patron Party. Artists will demonstrate woodturning, glass blowing, painting, ceramics and more.
The fundraising event will be held tonight at the Westin and will benefit the Bellevue Arts Museum.
Other ArtsFair activities will include a Kidsfair, with hands-on art activities for kids at the Bellevue Arts Museum; complimentary admission to the museum throughout all three days and concessions.
Live entertainment also will be provided throughout each day, including juggling acts, clowns and around-the-world music on the Celebrations Art Stage. Live jazz performances will be featured Friday and Saturday evenings.
Free shuttles buses will run frequently on Saturday, July 26, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to the ArtsFair.
Riders can catch the shuttles downtown and at three Park and Ride locations: South Bellevue (Bellevue Way Southeast and 112th Avenue Southeast), South Kirkland (108th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 38th Place) and Houghton (Interstate 405 and Northeast 70th Place).
For those driving to the fairs, the Bellevue Downtown Association will provide free parking Saturday and Sunday at Griffin Parking Lot, 10801 N.E. Eighth Street.
During the arts festivals, several roads will be closed and drivers should expect congestion throughout downtown Bellevue.
Closures include:
* 100th Avenue Northeast Southbound lanes will close from Northeast Eighth Street to Northeast 10th Street on Thursday, July 24, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 5-10 p.m.
* 102nd Avenue Northeast. Closed from Northeast Eighth Street to Northeast 10th Street on Friday at 6 a.m., reopening at 11 p.m. on Sunday. Local access will be provided to business driveways via Northeast 10th Street.
* 106th Avenue Northeast. Closed from Northeast Fourth Street to Northeast Eighth Street on Thursday, July 24 at 6 p.m., re-opening at f11 p.m. on Sunday. Local access will be provided to local driveways.
* Northeast Sixth Street. Closed from Bellevue Way to 106th Avenue Northeast on Thursday and re-opening at 11 p.m. Sunday.
* Northeast 10th Street Westbound lanes will close from 106th Avenue Northeast to 108th Avenue Northeast on Thursday, from 5-10 p.m. and Sunday, from 5-10 p.m.
For more information about the arts events, visit www.bellevuearts.org/fair/index.htm, www.bellevuedowntown.org/events/sixth_street/index.htm or www.bellevuefest.org.
Carrie Wood can be reached at cwood@reporternewspapers.com or 425-453-4290.
