At Vandergrift’s Artfest, thousands showed they could be an artist for the day

Several thousand visitors attended Vandergrift’s Artsfest on Saturday, where anyone was an artist, with children freestyle painting and adults throwing some clay on a potter’s wheel.

Sponsored by the Vandergrift Improvement Program (VIP), Artsfest featured 37 artists, crafters and vendors selling paintings, jewelry, prints, leather work, home decor items, photography and more.

A section of Grant Avenue was closed while bands played live throughout the day. Dance performances from Sandra Lynn’s and Just Dance kept the crowds entertained at the corner of Grant and Columbia.

Original artwork was housed in the historic J.C. Penney building along Grant Avenue and outside, including a 5-foot Albert Einstein selfie station designed by local artist Alex Chaffins.

Food trucks served up barbecue and other entrees while the crowds gravitated to the shaved ice and lemonade.

“This gives a taste of what life could be like if we embraced more creativity in the community with events like this,” said Lisa Dormire of VIP and event chairwoman. “It’s so good for our businesses, too.”

Three of Brianna Fricker’s children were painting on easels set up in a special children’s section. Fricker, 26, who lives in Vandergrift, brought her family last year, too. “The kids get to interact with the community, and they get to do something creative.”

The near-perfect sunny day caused sales of blue raspberry Arctic ice drinks to surge. The fire company even cracked open one of the hydrants with its truck to provide a gentle spray for kids to cool off.

The “dunk a dancer” booth near where Sandra Lynn and Jut Dance dancers performed turned out to be popular not just for visitors throwing the balls, but the dancers themselves.

The splashes and the squeals could be heard a block away.

“The best part is going under,” said Alex Petrosky, 9, a Sandra Lynn dancer, who got dunked. “It’s almost scary because you get dumped in so fast.”

Petrosky, taking a break from the dunk booth, said she wanted to go in again, but not before yelling “Get her!” as someone pitched the ball to dunk another dancer.