For a moment while I walked from the car park to the Northrup King Building, there were only a few people on the sidewalks, strolling between art exhibits. Then, I was hit with an explosion of noise, color, and excitement. Everywhere I looked, crowds of people milled about, admiring beautiful art and enjoying a wonderful environment for creativity.
In the 28th year of Art-A-Whirl, 1200 artists from Minneapolis showcased their art across nearly a hundred locations. The festival was split into sections but it was no more than a 10-minute walk from one side to another portion of the exhilarating and lively celebration of art. Featuring ceramics, drawings, photography, woodworking, clothes, and so much more, Art-A-Whirl had everything to offer. When I wasn’t watching a live band perform on a stage, I walked through endless rooms of beautiful creations, each piece reflecting one person’s unique interpretation of Minneapolis and the world.
The festival ran from May 19 to May 21, and the energetic crowd, even in the afternoon sun, was engaging and exhilarating. It’s a shame that the festival only runs for 3 days as there were so many exhibits that I wasn’t able to see. There were plenty of food trucks and restaurants dotted around the area to try, ranging from brownies and ice cream to tacos and dumplings. Art-A-Whirl is a brilliant, eclectic collage of fun, art, and music and it’s an event everyone should look forward to come next May.
