Updated: Celebrate spring June 7 at Houghton Art and Music Festival

HOUGHTON -- Celebrate the arrival of spring with the Houghton Spring Art and Music Festival from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 7, on the waterfront near the UPPCO building in downtown Houghton. Now in its seventh year, the Art and Music Festival provides an opportunity to hear live local music and shop at regional artists' booths. The event is free and open to everyone.

Visitors to Houghton's 2007 Art and Music Festival check out booths with exhibits by local artists. (File photo © 2007 Keweenaw Now)

A bike parade will take place at 11:45 a.m. Youth can bring their bikes to the waterfront from 10 a. m. to 11:30 a. m. and decorate them prior to the parade. Family art activities will be held from noon to 3 p. m.

Music starts at noon and goes until 6 p. m. The official band line up includes the New Zeeland Jazz Apples at noon, the Squeaky Clean Cretins at 1 p. m., the On the Spot Blues Band at 2 p. m., Keweenaw Brewgrass at 3 p. m., the Blackflies at 4 p. m. and Hanna Bethel at 5 p. m.

The art fair starts at 11 a. m. and will feature a variety of art and fine craft. Current participating artists include Charles Young: silver jewelry; Dennis Sotala: pottery; Sue Stephens: fiber art-hats, shawls, purses, scarves; Christine Nakkula: paintings, cards; Deb Matthews: cloth dolls; Mark Bukovich: photography; Miram Dobrofsky: pottery; Wendy Johnson and Mojo Staley: natural wood and fabric children’s play things; Kenneth Nara: wildlife and historical drawings; Seri Robinson: wooden bowls and plates; Kris Schourek: photography; Sylvia Schourek: henna tattoos; Brandi Palomaki: polymer clay goods, glass beads; Stacy Karvonen: crocheted animal hats and fiber art; Kevin Maki: rustic furniture; Jeff Massie: photography; Mark Larson: Unkle Ake's Field Guide book; Andrea Puzakulich: garments and fashion minded paper goods; Stephanie Trevino: photography; Elissa Karstu: pen and ink drawings; and Deanna Attee: natural/herbal products. Many of the artists will be demonstrating their crafts.

Local artists Debbie Mues and Miriam Pickens visit at Miriam's pottery booth during the 2007 Art and Music Festival on the Houghton waterfront. (File photo © 2007 Keweenaw Now)

The Festival, sponsored by the City of Houghton and the Copper Country Community Arts Council, will also feature an Arts Center information booth and family art activities area. Food and refreshments will be available on site with an extreme bake sale to benefit the Community Arts Center. A special thanks to Adam Johnson at Brockit Solutions for help with planning and music line up and to Jessica Brassard for poster design.

Plenty of free parking will be available. For more information, call the Community Arts Center at 482-2333 or visit the Arts Center Web site.