On Saturday, April 15, thousands gathered under sunny skies at Sweetheart Circle for the 40th anniversary of ArtsFest.
ArtsFest began in the early 1980s as a community outreach effort for the Georgia Southern University (GSU) Art Department. The goal was to create more art awareness and engage talented faculty members and students with the youth of the Statesboro community—and to have fun doing it. In 2016, GSU’s Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art announced it would no longer host the beloved event.
The Bulloch County Recreation and Parks Department (BCRP), with the help of the University and many other community sponsors and organizations, decided to continue the tradition and has hosted ArtsFest each spring since.
Art Stops provided by local businesses and organizations lined the center walkway, where families could enjoy activities such as paper crafts, coloring, painting, clay-building, and much more. The event also offered bounce houses, an artist's market, the Bulloch County Book Bus, food trucks, and a community stage that featured musical, magic, and dance performances throughout the event.
"We had an awesome day celebrating the 40th anniversary of ArtsFest at Sweetheart Circle," Kimberly Sharpe, Marketing and Events Coordinator for BCRP, said. "The weather was perfect, and we were so happy to welcome so many Bulloch County families for a full day of art and fun. As always, we're grateful to our local sponsors who made it all possible."
ArtsFest 2023 was sponsored by Dabbs, Hickman, Hill and Cannon CPAs and the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro, along with additional support from Coca-Cola, EGRMC, Shane's Rib Shack, Rotary Club, IGA, Statesboro Golf Carts, Wing Maxx, Grice Connect, Lori Grice Photography, Georgia Southern University, and Pladd Dot Music.
