Cautious Optimism: The Arts In Missouri And The Ozarks During COVID ksmu.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ksmu.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Return of Artsfest with precautions gives Springfield hope for normalcy Harrison Keegan, Springfield News-Leader
Artsfest is a tradition for Dan Griffin and his beloved dog, Winston. It s definitely one of the kick-starters for spring and summer, Griffin said as he paused to snap some pictures of Winston sitting down on historic Walnut Street.
Griffin said he likes the atmosphere of Artsfest and the chance to connect with local artists. And he s not just window shopping, Griffin said he usually makes a few purchases as well.
Last year, Griffin and his pug had to stay home during the first weekend in May as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of Artsfest for the only time in the event s 40-year history.
Leslie Forrester, Executive Director of Springfield Regional Arts Council.
“We’re so excited to be bringing it back after a year hiatus,” she said. “We hit ‘pause’ last year to get everyone safely through the pandemic, so we’re so delighted to be bringing it back.”
But it will look different this year, she added. “COVID is still here, and we want to make sure that all of our patrons, artists, staff and volunteers are very safe. So we are very closely following all of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department guidelines. For larger events like this even outdoors we are limited to between 2000 and 2500 people per two-hour (period).” In the past, a $5 entrance fee was good for the entire ArtsFest weekend. This year, however, attendees must purchase a spot in one of seven 2-hour “flights” or time periods, that give them access to ArtsFest for just a two-hour period, so that the festival won’t exceed the mandated capacity limits. Naturally, this means