By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
If this were any other year, the booth numbers would have appeared on Main Street in downtown Bowling Green.
Banners would be hung from the light posts.
And shop windows would feature posters announcing the Black Swamp Arts Festival would be transforming the town this coming weekend (Sept.11-13).
Even though in this time of pandemic when the community most needs that touch of festival magic, nothing will change. The downtown will not be turned into an outdoor art gallery and the parking lots will not be alive with the sound of music.
Still, the volunteer festival committee doesn’t want to be forgotten. So festival fans can still pick up a 2020 Black Swamp Art Festival t-shirt.
Amy Craft Ahrens, long-time chair of the concessions committee, explained in an e-mail that: “Back in the late spring/early summer when we decided for sure that there would not be a 2020 festival, we talked about how so many festival patrons collect our festival tees year after year and take pride in supporting the festival that way. And we thought it would be nice to keep that tradition alive.
“We also discussed that having a tee released around the time of the festival would just be a reminder to folks of the event and what a big part of our community it is.”
The t-shirts are designed by graphic artist Amy Karlovec, who was responsible for many of the festival’s award-winning posters in the past.
Craft Ahrens said she gave the committee two options to choose from. But she said she loved them both, and couldn’t choose, so shirts are available in both designs.
The 2020 Black Swamp Arts Festival t-shirts are on sale at For Keeps, 144 S. Main St. There are two colors of unisex tees (black and green) and one women’s tee (purple). Both styles come in sizes small to 2XL. Shirts are $20 and all proceeds benefit the festival. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.
The shirts were printed at Aardvark, now Three Cord.
Several other events are happening around BG this weekend for those needing to get at least a bit of festival fun.
- Arlyn’s Good Beer, 520 Hankey Ave., off Gorrell Avenue, will be bringing in one of the festival’s favorite food vendors, JnK Steak Tips, Friday, 1-11 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1-11 p.m.
- BG Beer Works will be celebrating its fifth anniversary all weekend with a new brew and food. Friday, noon to 11 p.m., the new Gang Busters Great Harvest Ale will be tapped with Sworden’s Smoke serving barbecue from 4-7 p.m. On Saturday, Chef Rob’s Side Hustle Pizza Truck will be serving from 2-9 p.m. Sunday, noon to 11 p.m., the founder Justin Marx will be serving up free bratwursts all day.
- Two locations in Bowling Green, Ohio will host a COVID-19 compliant art fair on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Art Supply Depo at 435 E. Wooster St, and BiG Fab Lab at the Woodland Mall parking lot, 1234 N. Main St in Bowling Green, are hosting a drive-thru art fair, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Art Supply Depo will host 15 artists and, from noon to 3 p.m., jazz pianist Ryan F. Erard. BiG Fab Lab will feature 20 artists. The work on display in the fair covers all media.
- Myla Marcus Winery will present for art demonstrations and give customers the chance to paint their own encaustic oil painting Friday-Saturday, September 11-12 from 5-8 p.m.tastes of locally made Myla Marcus Wine will be available including the winery’s newest wine. Art and gift items are available for purchase.
- Tree No Leaves, a band that’s played the main stage at the Black Swamp Arts Festival, is making its belated 2020 performance debut Saturday from 7-8 p.m. at an outdoor socially distanced show at 204 Eberly Ave., hosted by Eberly Avenue Entertainment LLC. Tree No Leaves will be debuting some brand-new songs from the band’s soon-to-be announced album. The performance also will be streamed live from 7:15-7:45 p.m. for the virtual Hot Times Community Arts & Music Festival in Columbus, which is taking place over Sept 11-13.
