Art & Music festival returns

The Lincoln Arts & Music Festival is set to return Aug. 14 and 15 after a hiatus last year due to COVID-19.

The event is scheduled to include music and other performances on Saturday and Sunday, alongside artists' booths, kids' activities and more.

"We'll have three bands on Saturday," said Karyn Good, one of the event organizers, adding, "Music will go from 2-8 this year. Then on Sunday, we have two musical acts starting at 11 o'clock, and then our last act is a storyteller. He's not a stand-up comedian, but it does have a comedic vibe."

Saturday's music will include Chuck Fulcher and Josh Farmer with headliner Arterial Drive. On Sunday, Cole & Eileen Mannix and About Time Band play before storyteller Nick Banish takes the stage.

"One new thing is that we're going to have a beer tent. Jeremiah Johnson Brewery gave us a really good deal on a large amount of beer," said Good. Normally at this event, the brewery would manage the selling of the beer and retain any profits. This year, event organizers, which are a subcommittee of the Lincoln Council for the Arts, will be selling the beer and using any proceeds to help fund next year's festival.

Food will be available through the Balsamroot Catering Company. On Sunday, the Wheel Inn and the Chamber of Commerce are partnering for the Continental Divide Trail Celebration with a free barbecue with burgers and dogs starting at noon.

The festival will have a variety of family and kid-friendly activities. The Lincoln Parent-Teacher-Student Organization will be selling cotton candy on Sunday. The Lincoln Prosperity Group will be hosting a coloring contest with $500 in cash prizes, as well as handing out free beer coozies. There will also be a tie-dye t-shirt booth for kids.

"It's very family friendly," said Good, noting that folks might want to bring lawn chairs, but that they encourage attendees not to bring coolers as waters, sodas, beer and food will all available for sale at the event.

"This event is for the community. A lot of volunteer hours and a lot of work goes into planning this, and a hope that our community will show up for these events and enjoy them. All the proceeds that we raise from this event goes to pay for next year's event," said Good.

Artists' booths will be open throughout the weekend. Good said that the event will be smaller this year, due to trickle-down effects of COVID-19. Some other arts events were rescheduled for the same weekend as Lincoln's festival, but by next year, they should all be back to their regularly scheduled dates. Good added that there are new artists this year who haven't attended the festival before.

The festival will be preceded by the annual barn dance held at Grantier's barn on Stemple Pass. The dance will begin at 7 p.m. on Aug. 13.