Summerlin festival of arts slated for this weekend

If browsing through scores of fine art pieces from the region’s best artists and craftsmen is your idea of fun, the Summerlin Festival of Arts at Downtown Summerlin this weekend is for you. That’s because the festival includes more than 110 artists from Southern Nevada and surrounding states this year, each carefully selected by a jury of local art experts to ensure quality, originality and diversity of both media and price ranges.

And, if you’re not an art lover, the Summerlin Festival of the Arts is still the place to be this weekend, because art is only one element of this full-bodied festival that includes top-notch entertainment, unique experiential attractions and activities for all ages and culinary delights from Downtown Summerlin eateries.

According to Danielle Bisterfeldt, vice president of marketing for Summerlin, this fall tradition offers something for just about everyone.

“From a classic car show and farmers market to a photo opp with the new Howard Hughes Cup, the winner’s trophy of the upcoming Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin; children’s fall-themed art activities hosted by the Discovery Children’s Museum; robotics and science demonstrations by Faith Lutheran High School and UNLV Engineering School; balloon artists and face painters; pumpkin and vegetable carving; community mascot meet-and-greets and more, the Summerlin Festival of Arts is a true community celebration with lots to do and see for all ages.”

“We are even offering fun temporary pet tattoos, since the festival is dog-friendly, along with a chance to snap a photo with a 6-foot-tall, Elvis-inspired football created for the Las Vegas Bowl last year to mark its 25th year in Southern Nevada,” she said. “Everywhere you turn at the festival, there will be something fun to do.”

Headlining this year’s entertainment at the festival is a performance from “Circus 1903 – The Golden Age of Circus,” a turn-of-the-century circus spectacular performing at Paris Las Vegas.

Local schools and groups will be well-represented with performances throughout the weekend, including the Bishop Gorman Pep Band, the Palo Verde High School Jazz Band, the Faith Lutheran High School Women’s Ensemble, the Nevada School of the Arts and Aaron Ramsey and the Las Vegas Young Orchestra.

“The festival is now in its 22nd year and has easily earned a reputation for quality art and entertainment and now many fun and engaging activities that make it truly a fun event for the entire family,” Bisterfeldt said.

Winners of the Best of Summerlin online competition will be announced at the festival on Oct. 15. Each year, community residents nominate and vote for their favorite places, restaurants, events and doctors in Summerlin.

The Summerlin Festival of Arts at Downtown Summerlin, Oct. 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., is free to the public. Sponsors include City National Bank, the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Sunny 106.5.

For information about Summerlin, visit summerlin.com.