Originally posted in June 2021
Will the show go on? It is the question we are asking the community this month: do participants want to have an in-person Etna Art Tour in 2021? Are enough artists, businesses, and volunteers willing to participate to make the event possible? While we wait to hear from the community, we are holding September 25th from 4-9 p.m. as the date and time for the event.
A minimum of 30 artists, 10 businesses, and 30 volunteers are needed to pull the event off. As time to plan this year’s Art Tour has shortened significantly, we have developed a survey to determine the interest from artists, business owners, and volunteers in holding the Seventh Annual Etna Art Tour. Please take a few minutes to fill out this brief survey to help us determine the future of the Etna Art Tour; survey will be open until June 27th. Survey Link: https://forms.gle/FsP6vbobGTHFSxN78
More on the Etna Art Tour:
The Etna Art Tour is one of the most beloved and anticipated annual events in the borough. It’s a night when the multitude of local artists who live and work in Etna can showcase their work and invite neighbors into their studios to learn about their process. The Etna Art Tour hosts live bands, live paintings, a community canvas project, and the much-anticipated Etna Art Tour tee-shirt from Etna Print Circus. It’s also a night for our local business to stay open late and serve up delicious food and drinks for art crawlers and highlight their wares. Mary Ellen Gubanic of Divertido expressed, "Divertido would be excited to have a sidewalk presence for this year’s Etna Art Tour! Along with Etna’s local business community, we welcome the opportunity to showcase and support artists, makers, and musicians who live and work in our neighborhood. No doubt, visitors to the Etna Art Tour will boost sales for participating stores and restaurants as well. It’s a fun, win-win experience for everyone!"
Last year, the event went virtual, and we got to go inside artist’s studios and homes and enjoyed even more musical performances than in previous years. Viewers also heard interviews with local business owners and learned about their pierogi or chocolate-making process, and what type of products were available in their shops. It was hosted by Etna Councilwoman Jessica Semler and then ECO Executive Director Alexis Boytim. The duo did a tremendous job interviewing artists, musicians, and business owners so that viewers could have an intimate look into their work. It was a different year, and we were happy to have continued the tradition in a new way.
This year, ECO, EEDC, and Etna Borough are hoping to bring back the live event. As restrictions have lifted, the Etna Art Tour would be able to look a lot more like it has in years past. Of course, we’ve entered a new era and so the organizers are committed to expanding an outdoor presence by investing in tents to line Butler Street to be utilized by artists and vendors. Businesses like the soon-to-open Rear End and Gastropub Garage are very eager to participate. Maria Paterra, co-owner of the Rear End states that “the Rear End Gastropub & Garage is looking forward to being a part of this year’s Etna Art Tour. The Art Tour, and events like it, will help bring people back together and give everyone a much-needed feeling of community and normalcy.”
We feel the same way as we eagerly anticipate the return of the Etna Art Tour!