Festival organizers have outdone themselves this year with a theme (Pop Goes the Festival) and a programming lineup that adds the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts to the list of things that get better with age.

First of all the theme—many of the exhibits and featured artists put the pop in album covers and concert posters, bringing together visual art with music. A one-of-a-kind installation will feature art from local legends Emek, Gary Houston, and Tim Oakley and show you how vinyl records (which we all know are in demand again) are created from start to finish. In addition, the Dee Denton Gallery in the upper level of the Lakewood Center will feature some of the best pop art from around the region and juried artists were also asked to create unique expressions of pop art.

And then the programming—music, art, food for young and old—this year’s festival has it all.

The Festival of Arts & Flowers. Paying tribute to the first Festival of the Arts which was called the Festival of Arts & Flowers, this year’s show will feature art inspired by the natural beauty of flowers and botanicals in the upper level of the Lakewood Center.

Live Music. There will be two stages this year both at George Rogers Park and the Lakewood Center hosting an incredible lineup of musicians. You can dance on the grass at George Rogers or enjoy tunes while browsing the Open Show Express exhibit at the Lakewood Center, both under big white tents.

Missoula Children’s Theatre. This popular touring children’s theatre returns again this year with FREE performances of Cinderella, starring some of Lake Oswego’s brightest young stars. Performances are at George Rogers Park on Friday, June 23 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. and Saturday, June 24 from 10:00 a.m. to noon.

Drink and Draw. If you’re 21 and over, enjoy a workshop with caricature artist Allen Schmertzler and see what talent lies within! Reservations are limited and available at Lakewood-center.org for $25. Friday, June 23 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Lakewood Center, lower level.  

A Workshop with Mirador: Using art and design for the neurodivergent community. Learn how Mirador Magazine (an age-appropriate, dementia-friendly publication created for people experiencing cognitive change) fuses art and design into each page’s purposeful layout, and why it’s important to create art and reading materials for the neurodivergent community. The talk includes a group activity using pages from the magazine. Saturday, June 24 from 10:00 a.m. to noon. In the Lakewood Center café.

Demonstrations by Local Artists. Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of works in progress! Demos run all three days on the deck at the Lakewood Center and cover a variety of art forms including: block printing, repurposing garments into wearable art and layering vellum printed photos with gold leaf. For the full list head to lakewood-center.org/festival-demos.

Art in the Park. Discover (and purchase) original artwork from over 100 artists from all over the country at George Rogers Park. Friday and Saturday, June 23 and 24 from 1:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Youth Art. See what our youth can create at the inaugural Joan Eliot Sappington Youth Gallery in the upper level of the Lakewood Center as well as the exhibits from the Youth Outreach Program, Drawn2Art and area schools in the Lakewood Café.

Festival Food. Whether it’s a snack or a full meal, you can find your favorite foods at the Festival, from coffee to shaved ice. See Festival Food for food listings.

Don’t miss out on all that’s going on this summer in Lake Oswego. Subscribe to my blog by clicking the “Sign me up” button in the top right-hand column and receive weekly updates. AND if you’re thinking about moving to Lake Oswego, give me a call at 503.939.9801 and/or email me at kevin.costello@cascadehassonsir.com. I’d love to put my 30+ years as a Lake Oswego resident and Realtor for work for you!