Mainstreet Piqua’s annual Taste of the Arts is a free, fun family event that will be held in downtown Piqua this Friday, May 13 from 5 – 9 p.m. Event entry, music, and children’s activities are all FREE. Guests will only need to pay for their food and drink while attending. The activities will be on Main Street and the food tents will be located on Ash Street.
According to Mainstreet Executive Director Lorna Swisher, “Food, music, art, family – Taste of the Arts is a wonderful way to kick off the Spring/Summer events season. There is a really interesting variety of demonstrating artists this year, a great band, and food from many of our favorite local restaurants. Also, craft beer selections from Crooked Handle and Moeller Brewing will be available at the event for the first time.”
The delicious ‘small bites’ menus from area restaurants and caterers will all be $5 and under, so bring the family and try a little of everything. Food options include:
Dobo’s Delights will have cookies, donuts, and other sweet treats
Susie’s Big Dipper will have ice cream, brownies, and sandwiches
Hickory River Smokehouse is serving ribs and barbeque favorites
Scottish Thistle will have unique savory options like “Bangers & Mash”
Young Life is frying up tenderloins, cheese sticks and more
This & That’s Candy offers root beer, cream soda, rock candy and pickles
Rosebud’s Real Food will offer grilled cheese, charcuterie cup, and gluten-free sweets
East of Chicago will have pizza by the slice
Mainstreet Piqua will offer a variety of beer and beverages
The headline musical entertainment at this year’s Taste of the Arts is the band “SWAGG.” This Columbus-based group is high energy and performs a great variety of dance and rock music, from the 1960’s through today. They perform all over the state of Ohio and have a huge fan following.
There will be a Kid’s Zone area all evening, with several activity stations, face painting, and games to play. Enjoy two shows from juggler/ventriloquist Mike Hemmelgarn at 5:30 and 7:00PM. The AirHead Family will be creating balloon animals from 5:30 to 7:30.
The Demonstrating Artists will be sharing their processes inside several storefronts and at street booths on Main Street. There will be works for sale. Artists include:
The Mosaic Institute – Hands-on mosaic creation begins at 5PM, 400 block of Main St.
Mary Ellen Lange – Needle felting bookmarks, 5-7PM, Can’t Stop Running
Phil Moyer & Friends – Sidewalk chalk art, 5-7PM, 400 block of Main St.
Yuleng Wang – Chinese brush painting, 5-7PM, Readmore’s Hallmark
Maureen O’Keefe of Piqua Arts & Innovation Center – Splatter painting 5-7 PM, 300 block of Main St.
Marsha Elliot & Shirley Harbaugh – Watercolor painting, 6-8 PM, Apple Tree Gallery
John Guillozet – Wood carving, 6-8 PM, Elite, Etc.
Cheyanne Lumpkin – Muralist, 6-8 PM, Barclay’s Men’s-Women’s Clothier
The Piqua Kiwanis Club is hosting a Bike Rodeo in the 500 block of Main Street during the event. Kids will learn about bike safety, and they may go home with a free bike helmet, or one of two bicycles being given away. Members of the Piqua Kiwanis will also keep visitors’ bicycles secure in their bike corral. Ride down to the festival and you won’t have to worry about parking or securing your bike.
2022 Taste Sponsors include Park National Bank, Barclay’s Men’s-Women’s Clothiers, McCulloch-Baker Insurance, Winans Chocolates + Coffee, Apex Aluminum, Skinner Painting & Flooring, Galbreath Realtors, 5/3 Bank, Koverman Staley Dickerson Insurance/ Buckeye Insurance Group, the City of Piqua, Quint Creative Signs, and Hartzell Propeller.
The job of putting together an event like this one is huge and committee members include Gary Anderson, Krysten French, Robin Heintz, Gretchen Roeth, Anita Dunn, Melinda Sillman, Cecelia Stoler, and Bev Collett. Executive director Lorna Swisher serves as Chair. New volunteers are always welcome and anyone interested is asked to contact Mainstreet Piqua at 937-773-9355.
