Wausau, Wisconsin: The 33rd annual Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, September 10-11, offers fun for all ages during north-central Wisconsin’s biggest art extravaganza, spanning both sides of the Wisconsin River. This weekend favorite overflows with art throughout four admission-free locations – Art in the Park in Marathon Park, the opening of “Birds in Art” at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, and the Festival of Arts and the Center for the Visual Arts galleries, both in downtown Wausau.
For an overview, see the following information, also on the Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend 2022 webpage: https://www.lywam.org/wausaus-artrageous-weekend/, and this PDF for details.
• Art in the Park, organized by the Wisconsin Valley Art Association, brings together more than 120 exhibitors in the East Gate Hall and Exhibition Building in Marathon Park on Stewart Avenue near 17th Avenue on Wausau’s west side. Affordable art and hand-crafted items available for purchase include pottery, wearable art, paintings, photography, and more. Food and beverages are available for purchase from local non-profit groups and businesses; ATM available. Free admission. Saturday, 9am–5pm; Sunday, 9am–4pm.
• Festival of Arts, first launched in 1965, is located on Third Street and the 400 Block and offers for purchase work by over 120 juried artists representing a variety of mediums. Strolling down Third Street, the festive browse-and-buy atmosphere is enhanced by live music on the 400 Block stage. Families can participate in children’s art activities in the Family Art tent and enjoy family appropriate entertainment on the Family Stage, while adults can indulge their creativity by taking “Still Young at Art” classes. At the Young Collector Market and Scholarship Silent Auction, art collectors of all ages can purchase art generously donated by Festival artists with the proceeds providing scholarships for area art students. Food stands, operated by local non-profit organizations, offer assorted foods and beverages. Free admission. Saturday, September 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, September 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Center for the Visual Arts, 427 N. Fourth Street, is a 501-(c)3 not-for-profit visual arts organization working to engage people in the visual arts and add to the livability of the Wausau regional community. The CVA offers free, public exhibits in four professional gallery spaces, affordable art classes for children and adults, artwork made by local artists in the CVA Gift Shop, and free art projects to community events throughout the year. In addition, the organization partners with other local groups and businesses to enrich the local community. Visit during Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend 2022 to experience 10+ artist demonstrations, including ceramics, digital art, painting, and more on Saturday, September 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, September 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Birds in Art opening weekend at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum features Saturday-morning festivities: including an artist presentation, Artists in Action, and morning opportunities to meet dozens of artists who flock to the Museum from throughout the world for the opening of this 47th annual internationally renowned exhibition. Browse galleries to see fresh artistic takes on birds via original paintings, sculptures, and graphics created with the past three years. Since 1976, the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum has organized Birds in Art annually, seeking to present the best contemporary artistic interpretations of avian themes. Always free admission. Special opening-weekend hours: Saturday, September 10, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, September 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Birds in Art is scheduled to remain on view through November 27, 2022.
Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend, the collaborative promotion of four separate events, traditionally is held on the weekend after Labor Day. Events in 2020 were cancelled due to coronavirus concerns and resumed in 2021.
For additional information, contact each organization:
• Art in the Park, Wisconsin Valley Art Association, wisconsinvalleyart@gmail.com, wivalleyart.org
• Festival of Arts, 715-842-1676, info@wausaufoa.org, wausaufoa.org
• Center for the Visual Arts, info@cvawausau.org, 715-842-4545, cvawausau.org
• Woodson Art Museum, info@lywam.org, 715-845-7010, lywam.org/birds-in-art
Access photos via links, below. Click on the following underlined captions, which are URL links to access photos from each venue; please include caption information with images used.
Festival of Arts hi-res photo: Shoppers stroll downtown at Festival of Arts during Wausau’s Artrageous Weekend.
Center for the Visual Arts hi-res photo: Center for the Visual Arts in downtown Wausau
Art in the Park photo: Art in the Park at Marathon Park
Woodson Art Museum hi-res photo: The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum
