Let the summer begin! Omaha’s most celebrated arts tradition, the Omaha Summer Arts Festival (OSAF), will once again bring professional artwork, free concerts,
family fun and great food and beverage to downtown Omaha. The 2015 Festival will entertain visitors of all ages on Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and on Sunday, June 7 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
OSAF attracts more than 80,000 visitors and generates more than $1 million in economic impact annually. The Festival was recently named one of “The 20 Can’t-Miss Summer Festivals of 2014” by Smithsonian.com, “Best Family Festival” for 2014 by Omaha Magazine and The Readers’ Choice Best of the BIG O! for Best Outdoor Festival as well as one of 2013’s top 40 Fine Art and Fine Craft Shows by www.ArtFairSourceBook.com.
CenturyLink Artists’ Market
The heart of the festival is the CenturyLink Artists’ Market, which offers high-quality, diverse artwork. Over 400 artists from across the U.S. applied to participate in the 2015 Festival. A group of local and regional art professionals, educators and enthusiasts narrowed this group to 135 final participants. This year’s OSAF artists will come from 27 different states to exhibit and sell their professional artwork. Fourteen different media from jewelry to sculpture, photography, painting, glass, metal, wood and mixed media offer festivalgoers a variety of selections in both style and price point. To view individual photos of each of the artists’ work, visit the Artists Gallery at SummerArts.org.
New for 2015
Scavenger Hunt
On Saturday, June 6 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. festivalgoers will have an opportunity to partake in a special OSAF Scavenger Hunt. Participants 18 years and older should visit the OSAF Information Booth, located at 13th and Farnam Streets, and pick up a clue card. A series of clues will lead contestants to various locations as they explore the festival site. As each riddle is solved, the clue card will stamped at each location. Once all of the stamps have been captured, hunters will need to turn in completed cards to the Information Booth to be eligible to win one of many great prizes including cash, gift certificates and merchandise. Winning cards will be drawn and names
announced from the Luigi Waitts Main Stage in between performances at approximately noon, 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Participants do not need to be present to win.
Food Trucks
New to the festival this year is the addition of Food Truck Row. Located on 14th and Farnam across from the W. Dale Clark Library, festivalgoers will be able to enjoy food from Anthony Piccolo’s, offering a delicious take on Italian food, Maria Bonita, wood-fire pizza from Prairie Fire, with delectable, healthy Mexican food and Sweet Lime – Thai Food Express, Omaha’s first Thai
food truck.
In addition, the Festival’s traditional TasteFest will feature a variety of local restaurants, including Shucks Fish House & Oyster Bar, Texas Roadhouse, Ingredient, Pacific Rim Noodle House and The Parthenon. Attendees looking for a snack, can find vendors offering treats ranging from funnel cakes and Dippin’ Dots to German roasted almonds, kettle corn and fresh-squeezed lemonade. Beer, wine and other ice-cold beverages will be available in the World Music Pavilion.
Zuzu Acrobats
Hailing from Mombasa, Kenya in East Africa, the Zuzu Acrobats have performed together since the age of eight. They learned from village elders the art of making traditional circus performances or ‘sarakasi’ as it is known in ki-Swahili. The group has performed at two different Super Bowls, numerous NBA halftime shows, the White House and on television on shows such as America’s Got Talent and the David Letterman Show. Whether it is limbo, jumping through hoops, skip rope, contortion, balancing, tumbling, hat juggling or their signature piece – fast pyramid building, this is a show which never ceases to entertain. The Zuzu Acrobats will perform on the Landmark Plaza at
OSAF on Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7 at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. each day.
Omaha’s ArtSeen
Omaha’s local “ArtSeen” is thriving and each year OSAF invites local artist organizations to interact with the community through artist demonstrations. This year’s participants include the Old Market Artist Co-Op, Smiling Turtle, The Blacksmith Shop and Passageway Gallery. ArtSeen booths will be interspersed throughout the Festival site with artists demonstrating candle carving, blacksmithing, abstract watercolor, glass painting, papermaking, log carving and more.
Live Music
The Luigi Waites Main Stage in the World Music Pavilion will be swinging with three full days of free music and entertainment. The 2015 line up is sure to entertain visitors of all ages in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
The excitement begins at noon on Friday with the Omaha Music Association Jazz All-Stars featuring The Gulizia Brothers, Tony and Joey, along with Iowa native Roger Neumann and Michael “Gooch” Gurciullo. The Tizer Trio will hit the stage at 5 p.m. with an explosive mix of jazz, rock, classical, jam band influences and Afro Cuban world rhythms. Blues Music Award winner for “Song of the Year,” Mike Zito and the Wheel round out the night bringing their cool and energetic blues to the stage at 7 p.m.
The music continues into Saturday with 10 straight hours of live entertainment. Performances include Latino American Harp Ensemble with music from Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina and Paraguay; The Dust Jackets, an American roots blues-rockabilly band from Lincoln; The Talbott Brothers, a singer-songwriter rock band duo; and, Moreland & Arbuckle, whose music has a traditional country flair. At 7 p.m. on Saturday, festivalgoers will experience the Grammy® Award winning funky zydeco sound of Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band. When the accordion playing virtuoso grabs the mic and takes to the stage, audiences are always treated to a show like
no other.
At noon on Sunday, well-known South Omaha mariachi band, Mariachi Zacatecas leads off the festivities. The local music celebration continues at 1:30 p.m. with Luigi Inc, founded by late jazz legend, Luigi Waites. This 5 piece jazz combo is an Omaha favorite that festivalgoers are sure to enjoy. The world music concludes on Sunday with the much-anticipated return of Brulé. This award winning Native American group is returning to OSAF with a full stage show beginning at 3:30 p.m. Now in their 15th season, Brulé’s national performances carry the same contagious excitement as Trans Siberian Orchestra, Celtic Thunder, and Riverdance—but with the emotional impact of the
American Indian culture.
The Nebraska Methodist College Children’s Fair & Family Entertainment Stage
Offering dozens of hands-on activities and art projects for children ages three to 10, the Nebraska Methodist College Children’s Fair will take place at 11th and Farnam Streets on Saturday, June 6 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year’s theme, How Does Your g-ART-en Grow, will feature craft activities including tissue-paper flowers, jumbo paper pinwheels, popsicle stick dragonflies and wind chimes, In addition, favorites such as cookie decorating, spin art, face-painting and much more will be offered. In addition, the whole family will be able to participate in creating a unique OSAF Sculpture Garden that will be donated to one of Omaha’s many community gardens for permanent display.
The Family Entertainment Stage will showcase a variety of music, dance, juggling and puppets. The Blues Ed Far and Wide Band, Cathedral Arts Project’s CAP Kids Jazz Band, El Museo Latino’s Ballet Folklorico Primavera dancers and juggler Peter Burnette are just a few of the performers kids and families will enjoy throughout the weekend. Admission to the Children’s Fair and select activities are free. Tickets for additional hands-on crafts and other activities can be purchased for 50 cents each, with most requiring one to four tickets.
Art Collectors in Training
After its successful debut in 2014, Art Collectors in Training (ACT) will return for both days of the Children’s Fair. The program offers children ages 5 to 10 the opportunity to purchase an original piece of art donated by the professional artists participating in the Festival.
After their purchases, young buyers and their families will be invited to meet the artist who created their work by visiting them in the Artist’s Market. Last year, more than 125 children participated in this flourishing program, which encourages the appreciation of the arts at a young age.
This year, OSAF is pleased to collaborate with The 402 Arts Collective to expand the Arts Collectors in Training program. The 402 Arts Collective brings people together to create and cultivate a vibrant network of artists who are committed to impacting the culture and serving the Omaha community. A team from The 402 Arts Collective will coordinate and staff the ACT tent. They will offer guidance and inspiration to the children as they select their works and then encourage them to visit with ‘their’ professional artist.
Young Artist Exhibition
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the OSAF Young Artist Exhibition will feature the artwork of more than 300 students representing more than 30 metro-area schools. Artwork created by students in grades 6 through 12 will be displayed in the W. Dale Clark Main Library during the Festival. On Saturday, June 6, senior scholarships, awards of merit, art supplies and framing certificates will be presented at a reception for students, teachers and parents. Over the past 20 years, the Young Artist Exhibition has presented more than $40,000 in scholarships and awards.
About Omaha Summer Arts Festival
The Omaha Summer Arts Festival is presented by First National Bank and sponsored by the Douglas County Visitor Improvement Fund, Presenting Media Sponsor WOWT NBC Omaha, Artist Market Sponsor and Official Technology Provider CenturyLink, Children’s Fair Sponsor Nebraska Methodist College, Youth Arts Presenter The Sherwood Foundation and World Music Pavilion underwriter the Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment. OSAF is consistently recognized as one of Omaha’s best annual events and has been named one of the Top 100 Fine Arts Festivals in the country by ArtFair SourceBook and one of the Top 100 Events in North America by the American Bus Association. For 2015, the Festival was awarded “Best Family Festival” by Omaha Magazine and Best Outdoor Festival by The Readers’ Choice Best of the BIG O!.
###
The Festival is a magnet that draws people together to celebrate art in all of its forms and varied
expressions. Its mission is to present culturally diverse, high-quality arts programs, performances
and exhibits in downtown Omaha for the general public to enjoy and appreciate free of charge.
OSAF is a non-profit arts organization led by a volunteer board of directors comprised of 15 area
business, arts and community leaders. The Festival is professionally managed by Vic Gutman &
Associates, the region’s premier event management company. Visit http://www.SummerArts.org for
full details.
Rich Text AreaToolbarBold (Ctrl+B)Italic (Ctrl+I)Underline (Ctrl+U)Align LeftAlign CenterAlign RightRedo (Ctrl+Y)Undo (Ctrl+Z)Select Text Color▼Select Background Color▼Font FamilyFont Family▼Font SizeFont Size▼FormatFormat▼Insert/Remove Bulleted ListInsert/Remove Numbered ListDecrease IndentIncrease IndentSubscriptSuperscriptInsert/Edit LinkUnlinkInsert/Edit AnchorInsert/Edit TableTable Row PropertiesTable Cell PropertiesInsert Row BeforeInsert Row AfterDelete RowInsert Column BeforeInsert Column AfterDelete ColumnSplit Merged Table CellsMerge Table CellsCut (Ctrl+X)Copy (Ctrl+C)Paste (Ctrl+V)Paste as Plain TextPaste from WordFindFind/ReplaceInsert Special CharacterInsert/Edit ImageInsert imageEdit HTML SourceCleanup Messy CodeToggle Spell Checkershow/Hide Guidelines/Invisible ElementsPath: p » span
>p>>span>Let the summer begin! Omaha’s most celebrated arts tradition, the Omaha Summer Arts Festival (OSAF), will once again bring professional artwork, free concerts,>br />family fun and great food and beverage to downtown Omaha. The 2015 Festival will entertain visitors of all ages on Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and on Sunday, June 7 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.>/span>>/p>
>p>>span>OSAF attracts more than 80,000 visitors and generates more than $1 million in economic impact annually. The Festival was recently named one of “The 20 Can’t-Miss Summer Festivals of 2014” by Smithsonian.com, “Best Family Festival” for 2014 by Omaha Magazine and The Readers’ Choice Best of the BIG O! for Best Outdoor Festival as well as one of 2013’s top 40 Fine Art and Fine Craft Shows by www.ArtFairSourceBook.com.>br />>br />>strong>CenturyLink Artists’ Market>/strong>>br />The heart of the festival is the CenturyLink Artists’ Market, which offers high-quality, diverse artwork. Over 400 artists from across the U.S. applied to participate in the 2015 Festival. A group of local and regional art professionals, educators and enthusiasts narrowed this group to 135 final participants. This year’s OSAF artists will come from 27 different states to exhibit and sell their professional artwork. Fourteen different media from jewelry to sculpture, photography, painting, glass, metal, wood and mixed media offer festivalgoers a variety of selections in both style and price point. To view individual photos of each of the artists’ work, visit the Artists Gallery at SummerArts.org.>br />>br />>strong>New for 2015>/strong>>br />>br />>strong>Scavenger Hunt>/strong>>br />On Saturday, June 6 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. festivalgoers will have an opportunity to partake in a special OSAF Scavenger Hunt. Participants 18 years and older should visit the OSAF Information Booth, located at 13th and Farnam Streets, and pick up a clue card. A series of clues will lead contestants to various locations as they explore the festival site. As each riddle is solved, the clue card will stamped at each location. Once all of the stamps have been captured, hunters will need to turn in completed cards to the Information Booth to be eligible to win one of many great prizes including cash, gift certificates and merchandise. Winning cards will be drawn and names>br />announced from the Luigi Waitts Main Stage in between performances at approximately noon, 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Participants do not need to be present to win.>br />>br />>strong>Food Trucks>/strong>>br />New to the festival this year is the addition of Food Truck Row. Located on 14th and Farnam across from the W. Dale Clark Library, festivalgoers will be able to enjoy food from Anthony Piccolo’s, offering a delicious take on Italian food, Maria Bonita, wood-fire pizza from Prairie Fire, with delectable, healthy Mexican food and Sweet Lime – Thai Food Express, Omaha’s first Thai >br />food truck.>/span>>/p>
>p>>span>In addition, the Festival’s traditional TasteFest will feature a variety of local restaurants, including Shucks Fish House & Oyster Bar, Texas Roadhouse, Ingredient, Pacific Rim Noodle House and The Parthenon. Attendees looking for a snack, can find vendors offering treats ranging from funnel cakes and Dippin’ Dots to German roasted almonds, kettle corn and fresh-squeezed lemonade. Beer, wine and other ice-cold beverages will be available in the World Music Pavilion.>br />>br />>strong>Zuzu Acrobats>/strong>>br />Hailing from Mombasa, Kenya in East Africa, the Zuzu Acrobats have performed together since the age of eight. They learned from village elders the art of making traditional circus performances or ‘sarakasi’ as it is known in ki-Swahili. The group has performed at two different Super Bowls, numerous NBA halftime shows, the White House and on television on shows such as America’s Got Talent and the David Letterman Show. Whether it is limbo, jumping through hoops, skip rope, contortion, balancing, tumbling, hat juggling or their signature piece – fast pyramid building, this is a show which never ceases to entertain. The Zuzu Acrobats will perform on the Landmark Plaza at>br />OSAF on Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7 at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. each day.>br />>br />>strong>Omaha’s ArtSeen>/strong>>br />Omaha’s local “ArtSeen” is thriving and each year OSAF invites local artist organizations to interact with the community through artist demonstrations. This year’s participants include the Old Market Artist Co-Op, Smiling Turtle, The Blacksmith Shop and Passageway Gallery. ArtSeen booths will be interspersed throughout the Festival site with artists demonstrating candle carving, blacksmithing, abstract watercolor, glass painting, papermaking, log carving and more.>br />>br />>strong>Live Music>/strong>>br />The Luigi Waites Main Stage in the World Music Pavilion will be swinging with three full days of free music and entertainment. The 2015 line up is sure to entertain visitors of all ages in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.>br />>br />The excitement begins at noon on Friday with the Omaha Music Association Jazz All-Stars featuring The Gulizia Brothers, Tony and Joey, along with Iowa native Roger Neumann and Michael “Gooch” Gurciullo. The Tizer Trio will hit the stage at 5 p.m. with an explosive mix of jazz, rock, classical, jam band influences and Afro Cuban world rhythms. Blues Music Award winner for “Song of the Year,” Mike Zito and the Wheel round out the night bringing their cool and energetic blues to the stage at 7 p.m.>br />>br />The music continues into Saturday with 10 straight hours of live entertainment. Performances include Latino American Harp Ensemble with music from Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina and Paraguay; The Dust Jackets, an American roots blues-rockabilly band from Lincoln; The Talbott Brothers, a singer-songwriter rock band duo; and, Moreland & Arbuckle, whose music has a traditional country flair. At 7 p.m. on Saturday, festivalgoers will experience the Grammy® Award winning funky zydeco sound of Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band. When the accordion playing virtuoso grabs the mic and takes to the stage, audiences are always treated to a show like>br />no other.>br />>br />At noon on Sunday, well-known South Omaha mariachi band, Mariachi Zacatecas leads off the festivities. The local music celebration continues at 1:30 p.m. with Luigi Inc, founded by late jazz legend, Luigi Waites. This 5 piece jazz combo is an Omaha favorite that festivalgoers are sure to enjoy. The world music concludes on Sunday with the much-anticipated return of Brulé. This award winning Native American group is returning to OSAF with a full stage show beginning at 3:30 p.m. Now in their 15th season, Brulé’s national performances carry the same contagious excitement as Trans Siberian Orchestra, Celtic Thunder, and Riverdance—but with the emotional impact of the>br />American Indian culture.>br />>br />>strong>The Nebraska Methodist College Children’s Fair & Family Entertainment Stage>/strong> >br />Offering dozens of hands-on activities and art projects for children ages three to 10, the Nebraska Methodist College Children’s Fair will take place at 11th and Farnam Streets on Saturday, June 6 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year’s theme, How Does Your g-ART-en Grow, will feature craft activities including tissue-paper flowers, jumbo paper pinwheels, popsicle stick dragonflies and wind chimes, In addition, favorites such as cookie decorating, spin art, face-painting and much more will be offered. In addition, the whole family will be able to participate in creating a unique OSAF Sculpture Garden that will be donated to one of Omaha’s many community gardens for permanent display.>br />>br />The Family Entertainment Stage will showcase a variety of music, dance, juggling and puppets. The Blues Ed Far and Wide Band, Cathedral Arts Project’s CAP Kids Jazz Band, El Museo Latino’s Ballet Folklorico Primavera dancers and juggler Peter Burnette are just a few of the performers kids and families will enjoy throughout the weekend. Admission to the Children’s Fair and select activities are free. Tickets for additional hands-on crafts and other activities can be purchased for 50 cents each, with most requiring one to four tickets.>br />>br />>strong>Art Collectors in Training>/strong>>br />After its successful debut in 2014, Art Collectors in Training (ACT) will return for both days of the Children’s Fair. The program offers children ages 5 to 10 the opportunity to purchase an original piece of art donated by the professional artists participating in the Festival.>br />>br />After their purchases, young buyers and their families will be invited to meet the artist who created their work by visiting them in the Artist’s Market. Last year, more than 125 children participated in this flourishing program, which encourages the appreciation of the arts at a young age.>br />>br />This year, OSAF is pleased to collaborate with The 402 Arts Collective to expand the Arts Collectors in Training program. The 402 Arts Collective brings people together to create and cultivate a vibrant network of artists who are committed to impacting the culture and serving the Omaha community. A team from The 402 Arts Collective will coordinate and staff the ACT tent. They will offer guidance and inspiration to the children as they select their works and then encourage them to visit with ‘their’ professional artist.>br />>br />>strong>Young Artist Exhibition>/strong>>br />Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the OSAF Young Artist Exhibition will feature the artwork of more than 300 students representing more than 30 metro-area schools. Artwork created by students in grades 6 through 12 will be displayed in the W. Dale Clark Main Library during the Festival. On Saturday, June 6, senior scholarships, awards of merit, art supplies and framing certificates will be presented at a reception for students, teachers and parents. Over the past 20 years, the Young Artist Exhibition has presented more than $40,000 in scholarships and awards. >br />>br />>strong>About Omaha Summer Arts Festival>br />>/strong>>/span>The Omaha Summer Arts Festival is presented by First National Bank and sponsored by the Douglas County Visitor Improvement Fund, Presenting Media Sponsor WOWT NBC Omaha, Artist Market Sponsor and Official Technology Provider CenturyLink, Children’s Fair Sponsor Nebraska Methodist College, Youth Arts Presenter The Sherwood Foundation and World Music Pavilion underwriter the Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment. OSAF is consistently recognized as one of Omaha’s best annual events and has been named one of the Top 100 Fine Arts Festivals in the country by ArtFair SourceBook and one of the Top 100 Events in North America by the American Bus Association. For 2015, the Festival was awarded “Best Family Festival” by Omaha Magazine and Best Outdoor Festival by The Readers’ Choice Best of the BIG O!.>br />>br />###>/p>
>p>>span>The Festival is a magnet that draws people together to celebrate art in all of its forms and varied>br />expressions. Its mission is to present culturally diverse, high-quality arts programs, performances>br />and exhibits in downtown Omaha for the general public to enjoy and appreciate free of charge.>br />OSAF is a non-profit arts organization led by a volunteer board of directors comprised of 15 area>br />business, arts and community leaders. The Festival is professionally managed by Vic Gutman &>br />Associates, the region’s premier event management company. Visit http://www.SummerArts.org for>br />full details.>br />>br />>/span>>/p>