By Staff
NILES – The second annual Arts In Motion event will be held from Friday, June 22 to Saturday, June 23 in downtown Niles.
This year's event will open with a block party from 6 to 9 p.m. and will continue Saturday June 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The finest and most unique wood, glass, clay, ceramic, painting, metal, photography, fiber and fabrics, folk art and other creations by artisans from Niles and surrounding areas will be on display.
Artisans will be located different downtown venues, where the public, free of charge, can go to see the works of the accepted artists, and be able to watch artisans at work. Watch potters, lamp work glass artists, stained glass artists, wood turners and others ply their craft.
A community art exhibit will showcase the works of all the artists that applied. In addition, there will be street entertainment, from face painting to caricaturists to balloon artists. Sign up for seminars to learn things like ballroom dancing and jewelry making. Special events at the Niles District Library include paper airplane and mobile making. The public is invited to participate in the Chalk the Walk Sidewalk Art Competition, which is for kids of all ages.
The headline act will be a group of women from Kalamazoo who perform under the named Aerial Angels. Part of the "New Circus/Cirque" tradition, the Aerial Angels are high-flying female circus artists performing feats of grace, beauty, and strength on the aerial hoop and aerial silk, acrobatics, fire-eating, and crack bullwhip target-taking. Free performances will take place at 12:15 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday.