LEWISTON — Downtown Lewiston will host the second annual Festival of Arts and Lights on Saturday, complete with children’s activities, wine-tasting, special business promotions and more than 35 craftspeople selling products at 11 sites on lower Lisbon Street.  

The free festival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.

“It’s just a great community event,” said Tammie Grieshaber, one of the event organizers and owner and curator of Lyceum Gallery. “Rainbow Bicycle has opened up. Forage has opened up. They were not here last year. I want people to come down and just see how everything is changing.”

Organizers created the festival last year to showcase the downtown and to give the area a big holiday fair. That first event proved popular, despite the day’s cold temperatures and blustery winds.

“I had at least 300 people come through the gallery. For a Saturday, that’s pretty phenomenal. I have 10 coming through ordinarily,” said Grieshaber, whose Lyceum Gallery was formerly known as Gallery 5.

This year’s festival will in many ways mirror last year’s. Nearly all artisans, crafters and vendors will return, as will the wine-tasting at The Vault and events for children.

This year’s festival will also include an open house at the Center for Wisdom’s Women and a blanket, coat and diaper drive at Dufresne Plaza, across from the courthouse. Santa Claus will make an appearance at the Lewiston Public Library, which will be transformed into winter scenes by Community Little Theatre.

The festival will take place throughout the downtown, with face painting at Lewiston Auburn Magazine and crafts for children at L/A Arts. Craftspeople and artists will sell a variety of goods that include photographs, jewelry, hand-crafted furniture, teddy bears, holiday cards and poinsettias.

The festival is a collaboration among Captive Elements Art House, L/A Arts and Lyceum Gallery.

[email protected]