There is a reason the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts has been around for over 50 years.

Actually, there is more than one reason, but in looking over the schedule for this year’s rendition, I’d have to say it has to do with the element of surprise.

This is not just a show where artists hang their work.

It is a celebration of the arts where artists hang their work, demonstrate their work, talk about their work, and invite the audience to engage in their work.

It’s not just for the stuffy art snobs…it’s also for the rest of us who know what we like when we see it or hear it but may not know why. It’s for the natural artist in our kids who just need a venue and permission to get their hands immersed in clay or their faces decorated with paint.

It’s a place where you’ll find beautiful artwork hanging on walls, mounted on pedestals, hung from ceilings or displayed in booths. But it’s also a place where you’ll find events such as these:

●Martini Mingle with the Artists (Friday and Saturday evenings from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on the Lakewood Center Deck)
●Panel Discussion on The Creative Response (Friday at 7:30 p.m. on the Headlee Main Stage)
●Art Demonstrations on Playing with Paper, Totem Animals and Paper Making (check schedule for actual times and locations)
●Clay and Painting Activities for Kids (Saturday from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. in the Lakewood Center Keybank Pavillion Tent)
●Concert by Animotion featuring 80s New Wave music (Saturday at 8:00 p.m. in George Rogers Park)
●Alice in Wonderland performance by Missoula Children’s Theatre (Friday at 4:00 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in George Rogers Park)
●Costume Parade and Contest (Saturday at 2:45 p.m. in George Rogers Park)

So you see, this is not your average arts festival. It informs, entertains, engages, and surprises you year after year. Don’t miss it.

If you don’t want to miss out on “Reasons to Love Lake Oswego,” then click the “Sign me up” button in the top right hand column to receive weekly updates.

Photo credit: Stuart Miles at freedigitalphotos.net.