PENN YAN — Organizers of this year’s Keuka Arts Festival in Penn Yan were pleased that the annual event helped start the summer season on a strong footing. 

“Because we don’t charge admission and have so many points of access into the Festival, it’s difficult to determine how many people attend,” says Festival Committee co-chair Cindy Kowalski. “However, based on what we know about parking and our experience with crowds, we estimate about 9,000-10,000 people visited this year’s Keuka Arts Festival.” 

Volunteers and vendors reported visitors from across the Finger Lakes region and into Pennsylvania attending the Festival, many visiting the area for the first time. More than 80 vendor booths stretched from the Main Street Bridge to the boat launch, in many place along both sides of that section of the Outlet Trail. Crowds enjoyed free musical entertainment and a variety of food choices and there appeared to be a lively exchange with Penn Yan businesses as well.

“Often in the past we saw activity at the Festival but not in downtown Penn Yan,” says Festival co-chair Karen Morris. “But this year people were hard put to find a parking spot on Main Street on Saturday and local merchants reported quite a bit of activity on both Saturday and Sunday.”

The Keuka Arts Festival is a juried show, with artists selected on the strength of their artistic work. Booths are also judged during the Festival, with the winning artist getting a free booth for the next year’s festival.  This year’s Festival Judge was Tim Williams, a retired art teacher from Naples, who is also the Arts Center’s Sunny Point Pottery manager this summer. 

Williams gave first place in his judging to Phelps ceramic artist Jill Smith of J. Smith Canvas n' Clay. 

“Jill’s diversity and variations of her ceramic and mixed media creations are unique, displaying a wonderful level of originality,” says Williams.  “Jill demonstrated a whimsical, playful approach to her themes and her booth presentation was set up to give visitors a “home” feel.”

Second place went to the Ghana Ba African Bead booth of Yahaya Alhassan, who currently lives in Rochester.  Alhassan uses some of the proceeds from his work to give back to his home village, where he has been able to build a school for the local children. 

“Yahaya’s work, a mix of bead making, jewelry necklaces, bracelets and earring and paper fans, is all made by and with students and residents of a small village in Ghana,” said Williams. “I was impressed with this 'art with a purpose.'”

Jeanne Kennedy of Avoca won third place honors for the lawn art she creates in her Jeanne’s Garden booth.

“Jeanne recycles pre-used lamp pieces, cookware, dishes, bowls – just about everything one might find in a thrift shop or garage sale – to create highly sculptural and unique lawn and garden artwork,” says Williams. “A great deal of time and effort has been put into each piece to assure it will last outside.”

Williams also cited several other artists for their work and their displays, including woodworker Jay Vollmer of Spellcraft Woodworks in Dundee, slate artists Brad and Lind Coulson of Slate Accents in Clarion, Pa., illustration Monti Emery of Singing Creek Cards in Big Flats, sculptor Mark English of MarkArt 200 of Westfield, Pa., and jeweler Janis Long of Dundee.

The Keuka Arts Festival thanks all their volunteers and the many community members and organizations who helped make this year’s Keuka Arts Festival such a success.  Anyone interested in being involved with next year’s Festival, scheduled for June 10-11, 2023 is invited to call the Arts Center at 315-536-8226.