ArtsFest returned to Georgia Southern’s Sweetheart Circle this past Saturday, April 26, bringing thousands of families and aspiring young artists together under the spring sunshine.
Hosted by Bulloch County Recreation and Parks, this year’s festival marked the 42nd annual celebration of art, community, and creativity. Even with the classic southern Georgia heat rolling in, thousands of attendees made their way through tents filled with hands-on activities, live performances, and booths from local artists and organizations.
As you entered Sweetheart Circle, the energy was immediate: bright colors, music drifting, kids running with painted faces, and families posting up in the shade.
Each year, the festival chooses a theme, and this time it was "Creativity Takes Courage." True to that spirit, ArtsFest 2025 offered attendees plenty of opportunities to step outside their comfort zones and make something new.
A longtime festival staple, rows of lean-to easels gave people space to slow down and create, while new stops popped up to inspire fresh artistic exploration.
The Statesboro Family YMCA invited kids to try their hand at straw-blowing art, and the Georgia Southern Museum set up a stamp printing station where visitors could press pre-made lino-cut flowers, butterflies, and frogs pressed onto paper.
Winding further around the Circle, you found local artists lined up, each with a tent or table showcasing their passion projects. Local art is always the heartbeat of this festival, and this year didn’t disappoint. Returning favorites like Sharmequa Franklin's The Artsy Girl, known for her handmade statement jewelry and accessories, and Michaela Lastinger of Michaela’s Creations, who crafts crochet goods, hand-painted bookmarks, and other goodies, were back sharing their latest work.
First-time vendors brought fresh energy, too. Kaidence Valencia of Made by Kaidence offered her handmade jewelry and tarot readings, blending creativity and intuition at her table. Across the way, Marjean Cone of Well Worn Jewelry makes one-of-a-kind flatware pieces, each crafted from vintage finds she personally sourced.
Younger artists were also making their mark, like Emma Criswell of Criswell Creates, a 19-year-old self-taught traditional artist proudly presenting her vivid paintings and sketches.
Stopping for a moment near a display of hand-lettered signs and painted canvases, you could catch artists like Leanna Zeigler of Wild & Free Creations chatting with visitors. She shared that she loves events like ArtsFest because "everyone has a different take on their art and a different favorite piece that speaks to them."
Her story was especially moving: how art, once pushed aside after being dismissed for making comics, became a healing place for her during a difficult chapter in her life. Stories like Zeigler’s remind you that while the booths are full of beautiful art, the heart behind many pieces can run especially deep.
Of course, after a lap or two around the Circle, the smell of barbecue and fresh funnel cakes called out to all. No festival in Statesboro would be complete without some good food to go along with the festivities.
Local vendors set up throughout the Circle, offering a bit of everything. Vendors included food trucks like Bearded Pig BBQ, Sunset Slush Statesboro, A & J Funnel Cakes, Wavee Shavee, Ava's Lemonade and Say Squeeze Lemonade that kept the crowds refreshed and fed with icy drinks and delicious snacks.
The ever-popular Caribbean Feast was also there, drawing lines of hungry visitors who recognized them from their consistent presence at the local farmers' market.
Meanwhile, the Pentecostal Church of God and IMPAK Youth Mentorship tables offered a little bit of everything, a perfect pit stop for baked goods, crispy fish sandwiches, and even garden starter plants ready to head home with green thumbs.
ArtsFest 2025 was another lively chapter in a 42-year tradition, reminding us that creativity takes courage, community, and showing up exactly as you are. Sweetheart Circle pulsed with life and creativity, making it clear why this event remains a favorite year after year.
For a full list of this year's participating artists and organizations, visit the Bulloch County Recreation and Parks website.
