Joplin Arts Fest
Ah, September in southwest Missouri. It’s a time when the weighty summer air dissipates, revealing a clear sky the color of a robin’s egg. After spending the sizzling days of summer indoors in the air-conditioning, people emerge from their homes to breathe in the cooler air and to reconnect – with the outdoors, and with each other.
When summer hibernation ends, the community festival season begins. One of the first festivals of the season is Joplin Arts Fest. While art is the star of the festival, you can also listen to live music, grab a bite to eat from one of the food trucks, cool down with a drink from the beer/wine tent, and watch the kids get creative doing artistic activities (and get their faces painted, too).
The tranquil setting of Joplin’s Mercy Park serves as a backdrop for this festival which features over 40 local and regional artists displaying a variety of work. There’s pottery, glass art, sculptures, drawings, photography, woodworking, and jewelry. Here are some of the highlights of art I saw, along with links to the artists’ websites so you can see for yourself how gifted they are.
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/arts-fest-wooden-doerr-turquoise.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=ebd8681c9e55f6ae6570ab35088c1355 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/arts-fest-wooden-doerr-turquoise.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=02cea542ce6192bb66e55bdc2559809d 540w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/arts-fest-wooden-doerr-turquoise.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=4845cafbf95db3376c15319f9e632f8e 550w)
Batcheller frequently uses birds as subjects to represent the human condition. His work is powerful and deep, and I find myself seeking the artist’s description of his work in order to fully understand the meaning behind each piece.
I was introduced to Natalie’s work at Spiva Center for the Arts a few years ago and became an instant fan.
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/arts-fest-wiseman-sink-or-swim.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=e9e488ff70adff6f3ad67c93baf02625 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/arts-fest-wiseman-sink-or-swim.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=bd3af0a2c96215ff36ae8b71c7e0d415 540w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/arts-fest-wiseman-sink-or-swim.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=2c18a55f8df1007cc88bf9003e0792df 550w)
Live music has its place at Joplin Arts Fest, as well. There’s a pavilion next to the water where local musicians perform throughout the day. Past performers include JOMO Jazz, Joshin the Giants (bluegrass and country), Kufara (a marimba ensemble), and Ozark Bards (folk songs of the Ozarks).
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/joplin-arts-fest-music.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=c1a81a76aca05da4a18dd78a98a7412d 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/joplin-arts-fest-music.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=64239ce558b98e66930e6037c60853b6 540w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/joplin-arts-fest-music.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=b1c5903637333001f96102f1b5715af4 600w)
Cool off with an adult beverage from the beer/wine tent, and be sure to sample from the variety of food trucks at the festival, including Blondies Woodfired Wheelhouse Pizza, El Taco Loco (street tacos), Fried Fancies (gourmet funnel cakes), and Pineapple Bliss (low-calorie, soft-serve frozen treats).
![](https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/joplin-arts-fest-pineapple-bliss.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=379fb709265def1c49712519bed342d7 320w, https://visit-joplin.imgix.net/images/joplin-arts-fest-pineapple-bliss.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=5e4eea3e92ed3c593e6de7b0b75afcd4 330w)
Turn off the A/C, open those windows, and let that cool September air flow through your house. Meanwhile, you can join your friends and neighbors in beautiful Mercy Park to celebrate the beauty of the season at Joplin Arts Fest.
Joplin Arts Fest is held at Mercy Park, 3002 St. John’s Boulevard. For details about this year’s event, visit JoplinArtsFest.com.