Sidewalk Art Festival moving forward, but needs more artists and vendors

IDAHO FALLS — The Eagle Rock Art Guild needs artists and vendors for its upcoming Sidewalk Art Festival.

The 66th annual Sidewalk Art Festival is planned for July 25 and 26, on the east bank of the Snake River on the Idaho Falls Greenbelt, but complications from the COVID-19 pandemic have left the art guild scrambling to find artists and vendors to come to the event.

“We’ve only got 12 vendors signed up. I think everybody’s holding back because of the COVID thing. So we need to get more art vendors. We also need food vendors. We need entertainment,” Eagle Rock Art Guild spokeswoman Dawn Langston said.

The event is scheduled to be held during Stage 4 of Gov. Brad Little’s plan to reopen the state. Idaho will enter Stage 3 on Saturday.

Stage 3 allows for nearly all businesses including bars and movie theaters to reopen. When Idaho enters Stage 4, all businesses, including night clubs and large venues, like sports venues, will reopen with social distancing guidelines.

Likewise, the Sidewalk Art Festival will adhere to those same social distancing guidelines.

“We are going to be putting in some extra precautions as far as spacing people out and not having as many items that you could browse through,” Langston said. “Some will have a sample and then if you’re interested that artist would pull the piece that you want to buy.”

Hand sanitizer and disinfecting products will also be available through the event.

Artists and vendors who signup and pay the fee to be a part of the festival do so without risk of losing that money if the event is canceled for whatever reason.

“We will refund all of their fees. So there’s no risk,” Langston said.

Anyone interested in signing up can do so at eaglerockartguild.com or by calling (208) 529-2555.

“There’s not going to be a whole lot going on this summer with the Fourth of July events being canceled,” Langston said. “Come see us, get inspired, have some fun, eat some good food and see some cool work.”