People in Nebraska enjoy food, music, and fun, so it’s no wonder the Omaha Summer Arts Festival has been so popular for nearly half a century. The 49th edition of the festival is coming up June 9-11, and it promises to be filled with the usual visual arts, performing arts, and other culture that makes Omaha special.
2023 Featured Illustrator
This year’s featured illustrator is Jair Rodriguez, a graphic and mural artist who was born in Mexico City but moved to the United States at the age of five. After mastering his childhood fascination with crayons and markers, Jair went to a magnet high school where he explored a variety of different mediums. There he took art classes that helped him explore different mediums in which he could tune his skills. Soon, Jair began to explore graffiti more and more, and today he has a large collection, some of which can be seen in and around Omaha.
Local Art at the Festival
- ArtSeen. Those who attend the festival can watch the creative process in action by watching live demonstrations. The program showcases galleries and organizations in the area.
- Homegrown Art. People interested in checking out artists from the Omaha area should visit the Homegrown Artists’ Village, where local talent has the opportunity to show off and sell their creations.
- Chalk Art. Artists will have a section of the ground to create chalk art over the course of the weekend.
- Mural Cubes. Local artists will be creating murals on five large cubes that will be placed around town between now and June 11.
Festival Music
Once again, there will be plenty of opportunities for people to dance the day or night away at the Omaha Summer Arts Festival. Here are a few of the acts that will be performing over the weekend.
- Friday. Festivalgoers can start the day off at 11 a.m. listening to Them Uke Boys on the main stage. Sonny’s stage gets going at noon with Tica Felise. The acts continue throughout the day with Jarana Musica, Wakanda One, The Rex Granite Band with Sarah Benck, and Wood Hoops, closing out the evening.
- Saturday. Things start up earlier on day two with Bluesed hitting the stage at 10 a.m. and Bekah Lemonds at 10:30. The evening ends with Pony Creek, Lacey Pruitt, and Waylon Thibodeaux Band.
- Sunday. The final day of the Omaha Summer Arts Festival starts at 11 a.m. with Da Crabby Blues Band and Bel Canto Duo both kicking off at 11 a.m. The fun ends early with Lostronauts taking the stage at 2 p.m. and Oma Jazz All Stars beginning at 2:45.
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Festival Food
There will be no shortage of popular food choices at the festival, with Jackson’s Takeout, Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ, Deviled Egg Company, Parthenon, Farmers Market Kettlecorn and Lemonade, Boki, dippin’ dots, and Mediterranean Corner all on site.
Disclaimer: The stock image is being used for illustrative purposes only, and it is not a direct representation of the business, recipe, or activity listed. Any person depicted in the stock image is a model.