Out of thousands of arts and crafts events across the country, the Muskegon Lakeshore Art Festival ranked #83 according to Sunshine Artist Magazine 200 Best! The publications ranks the nation’s most-profitable art & craft festivals based on subscribers’ sales performance for 2014.
“I was beyond thrilled when I heard the news that we had made the list,” commented Lakeshore Art Festival Director, Carla Flanders. The art festival was reorganized in 2013 when it was taken over by the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce who then hired Flanders.
“Carla put together a great team of arts, crafts and festival experts who launched a successful venture located in Downtown Muskegon,” says Cindy Larsen, President of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce. The festival attracts over 250 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors to the area annually.
The 200 Best rankings are obtained via ballots from Sunshine Artist subscribers. Subscribers are asked to list their 10 most-profitable art and/or craft show appearances from the previous year, indicate their income range at each and note whether they consider themselves to be fine artists or craftspeople. The results are tabulated using a weighted scale designed to ensure that smaller fairs can compete against larger festivals for high placement.
Lakeshore Art Festival organizers altered the layout in 2013 to showcase beautiful Downtown Muskegon. The festival has three components, Fine Art in Hackley Park, Handmade Crafts on Western Avenue and an area that houses children’s activities called the “Children’s Lane.” The event also offer opportunities for hands-on art participation and live art performances.
In 2016, the Muskegon Lakeshore Art Festival will be held July 1st and 2nd. “Each year we add something fresh and new to keep visitors coming back,” says Flanders. Next year’s additions will be announced after the first of the year.
Major sponsors for the Lakeshore Art Festival include; DTE Energy Foundation, The Muskegon Museum of Art, Alcoa, ADAC, Betten, Meijer, Mlive/Muskegon Chronicle, Nichols and Staples.
Artist and exhibitor registration for the 2016 Lakeshore Art Festival will begin in late November. Visit www.lakeshoreartfestival.org for more details.