There are many ways to celebrate the soon-to-be arrival of spring, such as entering artwork in the 46th Annual Moscow Renaissance Fair Poster Contest.
Designs should be creative interpretations of springtime in Moscow — the theme of the annual event held in East City Park. Submissions are due from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at BookPeople of Moscow. Public judging will be right after from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
“Submissions should be whimsical, colorful, spring-like and generally fun,” Arlene Falcon, owner of Tye Dye Everything, said. “In the past, it has been purely a public vote for the winner, but in the last few years, we decided the committee gets the final say to avoid a popularity contest.”
Falcon been on the planning committee for the Moscow Renaissance Fair since 2000. She said she encourages anyone to enter the contest, from University of Idaho students to community members, because it is open to the public and is a chance to showcase local artists.
She said all mediums are accepted, using watercolor as an example from the 2015 winner.
Arlene Falcon | Blot Magazine
Winners receive $200, notoriety of having their artwork on all of the programs and posters for the event, and an addition to their portfolio, Falcon said.
She said the guidelines are not strict, other than some mandatory, easy-to-read information the poster must include such as the date and location of the event.
The winner is kept quiet for about two to three weeks until the unveiling on April 3, after the posters are printed, Falcon said.
“At the unveiling ceremony, we get all of the posters from the past 45 years and display them for the public to see,” Falcon said. “The gallery will be on display at the 1912 center this year rather than at Book People, where it has been in years past.”
The fair includes main stage performances, food vendors, more than 100 craft booths and a large kid village, Falcon said. Last year’s events and workshops for children included face painting, puppet play, an obstacle course and chalk-the-walk, just to name just a few from last year’s program.
Applications for craft booths and food vendors are still open, with more information at moscowrenfair.org, Falcon said.
“One of my biggest frustrations being a resident, a business owner and just a person of the world, is the disconnect between the university and the town,” Falcon said. “It is really important that students realize we have a fabulous town here, and they have the opportunity to be more of a part of the community. They should come visit all of the local shops.”
Allison Spain can be reached at [email protected]