Vandergrift ArtFest approved for July, hopes high for in-person event

Vandergrift’s Artfest will return to the streets this year.

Lisa Dormire, chairwoman of the Artfest committee for the Vandergrift Improvement Program (VIP), pitched a date for the 2021 Artfest at Monday’s council meeting. Vandergrift Council approved the event for July 25.

The tentative date and plans for an in-person event follows a difficult year. Last year’s Artfest had been converted into a virtual event because of covid-19 safety concerns. Though it originally was slated to include vendors and business owners publicizing mental health services, as well as music, food and a gallery for local artists, everything was instead compiled onto a website, vandergriftartfest.com.

And while much is still uncertain about the next few months, given the sluggishness of the country’s vaccine rollout and confusion about the process in Pennsylvania, Dormire is hopeful that by July, life will look a little closer to normal. The VIP will implement mask-wearing protocols, capacity limits and other guidelines at the festival if necessary, she said.

“I’m optimistic that we’ll be in a position where some of those regulations will be lifted because of the number of people that will be vaccinated,” Dormire said.

The theme last year had been, “Take Your Broken Heart, Turn It to Art,” and had been focused on wellness and mental health.

Dormire said the VIP hasn’t officially chosen a theme for this year’s event, out of an abundance of caution — “even though I’m very optimistic we’ll be able to move forward in 2021, we want to keep things a little more vague,” she said — but she is certain it will echo a similar sentiment.

“Whatever the exact theme turns out to be, it will be something that celebrates the role that art plays in rebirth and revitalization,” Dormire said. “After a period of sadness and isolation, art has the capacity to bring us back together.”

Dormire said she hopes to move forward with many of the plans that were put on hold last year, engaging with more nonprofits and community organizations. She hopes to turn one of the town’s alleys into a special area for displays and booths of mental health and wellness organizations.

Having launched the website last year out of necessity, she said this year’s Artfest may still incorporate a virtual component, even if it is fully in-person. She said the VIP may use the site and the event’s Facebook page for registering artists as well as gathering volunteers.

But for the most part, Dormire is grateful for the opportunity to bring art back into the forefront in the community, bringing people out to appreciate art together.

“I really hope that this is one of the biggest and best Artfests that we have ever had,” she said. “I think people are ready to be in the community and to be listening to music in public spaces. I’m optimistic and I’m hopeful this will really be a great event this year.”