Press/News

ART IN BLOOM FESTIVAL
Mother’s Day Weekend
Saturday & Sunday - May 10-11, 2008

Downtown Medford Blooms With Art, Music, Flowers and Fun!
A Community Celebration!

The eighth annual Art in Bloom Festival is scheduled for Mother’s Day Weekend, May 10th and 11th. Art in Bloom is a high-end festival of flowers and art, featuring juried artists and invitational exhibitors. After just four years, it has already become one of the fastest growing fine art festivals on the west coast.

The Festival features more than 85 exhibitors, stretching between Main and 8th streets, and from Bartlett to Central Ave. Under sunny skies, downtown Medford comes alive with the spectacular sights and sounds of the visual and performing arts. Workshops, exhibitions, wine tasting tent and entertainment offer something for everyone and is free and open to the public.

Juried artists will display and sell their creations in four key areas: Bartlett Street, Theater Alley, Central Ave., and Vogel Plaza. Invitational artists will display their work in the Rogue Gallery.

Workshops include the art of Bonsai, Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging), fruit and vegetable carving, watercolor painting, and more. Participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, and visit water exhibits by area horticulture artists. Bring the children (and the young at heart) to the Children’s Booth, where lots of hands-on activities foster the artist in all of us. Drawing, printing, pottery and painting activities will all be available. Be treated to face painting (and lots of “clowning around”) by Annie the Clown!

Musical and dance entertainment is as abundant as the art and flowers, and features the Rogue Valley Youth Chorale, the Oregon Conservatory of Performing Arts, the Beau Berry Band, and the Dance Arts Academy/Medford Civic Ballet.

Two special exhibits salute the Rogue Valley’s agricultural heritage: the ever-popular Smudge Pots, and decorated “Bee Boxes”.

Even the trashcans are beautiful at Art in Bloom, thanks to the artistic efforts of students at Crater High School in Central Point and St. Mary’s and South Medford High Schools in Medford. With a “Springtime” theme guiding their efforts, students from each school have created original paintings on trash cans to be placed throughout the Art in Bloom Festival area. The project is part of Art in Bloom’s ongoing commitment to fostering art education in area schools, and educational stipends will go to participating school’s art departments.

Come experience the sculpture, pottery and painting from more than 75 exhibitors and juried artists. Flowers, plants, and gardening amenities, hands-on workshops, art activities for children, and more!

The U. S. Bank and the Mail Tribune join with the City of Medford to sponsor Art in Bloom. Art in Bloom is also supported by generous support by many area sponsors. Art in Bloom is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating the arts and art education for our youth.