ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - For the third year in a row, Elk Grove hosted the Festival of the Arts at the Old Town Plaza on April 27.

Many attendees were there to look at various forms of art, including painting, photography, literature, sculpting and live music. One booth was devoted to tie-dye, with the artist displaying and selling clothes of that style. 

Laguna Creek High School had a booth devoted to pottery demonstrations.

Darrci Robertson, event organizer and Elk Grove Fine Arts Center gallery manager, said that this event is held the last weekend of April in Old Town Plaza, and it has expanded the last two years.

The annual event had 40 artists this year.

“I think it’s great that it’s bringing out a lot of people in Elk Grove who enjoy art,” Robertson said. “I feel like attendance has gotten greater and that it’s a very popular event.”

Erin Martinelli, artist and board president for the Elk Grove Fine Arts Center, said that this event was organized by the art center. 

“We’re so happy to have different high schools and kids involved, as well as other organizations like the writers’ guild and the local wineries definitely showcasing the best of Elk Grove,” Martinelli said.

Sacramento artist Lacy Leanne, working on a portrait painting at her booth, specializes in charcoal portraits of people and animals in black and white and is branching out into mixed-media style with acrylic paint and a charcoal overlay. 

Leanne started painting two years ago, and this event was the second art festival she has participated in within the past couple of months.

Some authors displayed their books and promoted their nonprofit organization, the Elk Grove Writers Guild, which formed in 2019. 

Writers Guild President Loy Holder said that the Festival of the Arts had various forms of art, whether it’s visual, music and writing, including literary writing.

Musical Mayhem Productions showcased the vocal talents of youth who performed at the festival. 

Kelly Cullity, Musical Mayhem Productions education director, said, “It’s great that Elk Grove prioritized the arts in a way that allows the space for different art organizations to come together and showcase what they do.”

“We are an organization that produces more than 20 youth musicals a year,” Cullity said.

 “Our kids perform in musicals all year long. They are very accustomed to performing.”