Eagan Art Festival Back for its Seventeenth Season

Now in its seventeeth year, the free Eagan Art Festival runs today until 5 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This year's festival features the work of 100 professional artists in mediums as varied as acrylic and oil, wood, fiber, glass, metals, and more. 

According to Festival Director Wanda Borman, attendance averages between 6,300 and 6,500, and it has been growing at a rate of about 10 percent per year. Having expanded marketing efforts this year, Borman hopes to see attendance increase.

She said the juried festival provides an open venue for fine artists and fine heritage crafters to display and sell their work.  

Youth in Art

The theme for this year's festival is Youth in Art, and a special tent offers young artists ages 13 to 19 an opportunity to display their work and gain experience showing and selling their art in an art fair setting.

Twelve students are participating in the event this year, under the direction of art teacher and mentor Peter Jadoonath. These twelve will be on hand in the Youth in Art tent on a rotating schedule to display and sell their work.

Jadoonath said the goal of the Youth in Art program is "to give kids exposure and confidence in their artwork and for the community to see what kids are doing."

Move over Mauer and Morneau

Artist Trading Cards also are making their first appearance at the Festival this year and will be around all summer to swap at Market Fest and other venues throughout the city.

Similar to sports trading cards, artists - and anyone - create small works of art the size of a trading card, and then swap them for other's cards. 

Festival-goers will be able to create their own in a special tent and then trade them with other artists and friends. 

Borman said the idea for the cards is  to "keep art flowing through the community."

Several artists have created trading cards and a number of Eagan Art House students have made cards that may be traded at a special tent.

Supplies are available for children to make their own trading cards and another space is dedicated for anyone age 10 and up to try their hand at mini art by way of making trading cards. 

Entertainment, food

A wide range of entertainers will be on stage throughout the weekend, with the Teddy Bear Band kicking off Saturday morning with fun songs for the kids. 

Artists may sometimes starve but it is not necessary for festival goers to do the same. Food items from corn dogs and burgers to cheesesteaks and gyros and lots of stuff in between can be purchased when the hungries hit. 

Eagan Art Festival
Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26
Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday  10 a.m. - 5. pm
Admission is free