Heather Johnson, Director & Festival Coordinator:
“Good morning and welcome to Ames. We are so glad you are participating as an artist in the Octagon Art Festival! One of the wonderful volunteers will help you check in and offer you some coffee or tea.”
It’s 6 am on a chilly, Sunday morning in late September. Artists from across the Midwest are rolling into Main Street to begin setting up for the Octagon Art Festival. In a few hours, the streets will be filled with artisans, food vendors, festival attendees, live entertainment, and dozens of helpful festival volunteers – like a village that pops up overnight.
The Octagon Art Festival relies on community volunteers to fill in the 140 2-hour shifts throughout the day. The festival would not be possible without so many people generously offering their time – it truly is a gift to the Ames community and to the artists.
Art festivals are wonderful traditions for the community – the Octagon Art Festival has been bringing people together for 49 years. It’s fun to stroll downtown with friends and family, hear live music, talk with artists, and find a perfect piece of handcrafted art to take home. Volunteers help keep the area clean, work with kids in the children’s craft area, monitor street barricades and more.
Art festivals also are a vital part of doing business for many artists, a crucial revenue stream and a way to share their work. Festival artists create during the week and participate in festivals on the weekend. Setting up and running a booth all day (regardless of the weather and sometimes far from home) can be a very challenging experience. A kind volunteer stepping in to help can mean everything.
Jane, a jewelry artist shared “you have the best service of any show I have ever participated! The volunteers are very helpful.” Emily, a ceramic artist mentioned “everyone who helps is very helpful and nice.” Another artist noted “I was so excited when a volunteer helped me unload and set up my tent. Wow! Really goes above and beyond what I’ve ever experienced at other events!”
Some amazing folks show up year after year to pitch in and be a part of the festival. David Faux is one of those volunteers. He told us:
I loved getting to Main Street before dawn, and seeing the space transform as brilliant artisans, and your incredible crew created a wonderland of art and beauty. It was so neat to be able to play a small part in that transformation and watch at the delight of Ames residents and guests, as they entered the festival as it opened to the public. A strong mixture of joy, pride, and happiness in playing a role in something so special, in support of such beautiful people kept that weekend circled on my calendar every year as something I would not miss. Thank you for all that you, and your staff do, to help make Ames a wonderful place to grow.
We are so thankful to the community members, interns, local service organizations, Octagon staff, and our dedicated members who willingly show up for a few hours to make the festival a great experience for the visiting artists and the community. We cannot name them all (there have been so many!), but we are grateful for each of our volunteers. They are the best!
Save the date for the 50th Octagon Art Festival on Sunday, September 26 from 10 am – 4 pm in downtown Ames. We look forward to celebrating with you! And let us know if you would like to volunteer.
