NORWAY — It was a special year for the Norway Arts Festival, being the 50th anniversary of the current festival’s predecessor, the Sidewalk Art Festival.

According to the festival’s website, in 2003, Norway Downtown, a committee of “energetic and committed” community members, assembled to organize a new incarnation of the festival, built around the Sidewalk Art Show with the addition of vibrant performances.

Upon entering the “foot-traffic only” area of historic Main Street in Norway, attendees could witness members of the Nevaeh Dance Circus performing various routines, which included juggling, dancing and hoop routines.

Nettie Gentempo, who performed on Saturday, said they will be performing on Main Street again on Aug. 26, as well as at the Western Maine Green Grass Music and Arts Festival on Aug. 12 and 13.

The activities were plentiful. Kids could get their face painted by Amie Romano of Amie’s Paint and Twist and play games at the activity center.

Vendors lined the street, many featuring artists exhibiting the results of their hard work and talent.

Rick Hutchins said he has been attending art fairs for eight years, but said this one is his favorite because of the “good people that come from all over the country.” Hutchins brought his assortment of handmade bird and bat houses to sell.

“I don’t throw any wood away, I make something of it,” said Hutchins.

Festival attendee, Linda Wynott of Norway, was thrilled with her purchase — a painting of an ice fishing scene done by Elizabeth Morgan. It was due to a scholarship from Lisa Moore, an organizer of the event, that Morgan who was able to have her own booth to display her art at her first festival. 

Wynott was so excited and astounded by the young artist’s talent, she asked Morgan to paint two more ice fishing scenes.

emarquis@sunmediagroup.net

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