ARCADIA, Wis. – Ashley for the Arts wrapped up another successful weekend of family fun and live entertainment in Arcadia. The annual, three-day music and arts festival took place August 10-12 and drew in tens of thousands of fans to see a world class lineup of performers, enjoy access to arts and craft vendors, as well as rows of food vendors, an inflatable air park, a lumberjack show, street performers, fireworks, and much more! Nearly $700,000 will benefit 70+ non-profit organizations that participated in the event this year.
“Memorial Park was once again transformed into a premier music and art hotspot. From the second you walked onto the grounds, you were immersed with the fun of entertainment and activities for the whole family,” said Cole Bawek, Event Director. “We are very thankful to everyone who supported Ashley for the Arts this year and helped us to achieve our goal to have another record-breaking year!”
The festival kicked off Thursday evening with performances by The Whitesidewalls Rock ‘N’ Roll Revue, Blondie Blue, and Restless Road, as well as fireworks and the Pursuit of a Cure Glow Run. Nearly 300 participants showed up in their neon best, adorned with glow accessories to run for the cause. They were met at the finish line with a pool of yellow glow foam. Proceeds raised from the Glow Run, luminaria sales, and the charity raffle support the advancement of medical research and help to offset medical-related costs that families incur during medical emergencies. Guests also joined in the dedication ceremony of a War Dog Memorial monument, the newest installation to Soldiers Walk Memorial Park.
Despite a weather delay on Friday, the weekend brought in steady crowds of excited fans and the show went on. Memorial Park Drive was lined with over 100 craft fair vendors that displayed, sold, and demonstrated their skills and unique works of art. The walkway housed Ashley Furniture’s “Ashley Zone,” which highlighted a variety of the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives: Heartworks, City of Hope, Trempealeau Valley Co-op’s Mobile Skills Lab, Ashley’s Angels, conservation efforts, Wreaths Across America, and local middle and high school robotics teams.
Throughout the course of the festival, children and families were able to enjoy family friendly entertainment including an inflatable air park, interactive art, a petting zoo, BINGO, lawn games, and more – all of which was included in the low-cost admission. Friday fans were also treated to a military flyover courtesy of the F-35A Lightning II from the 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
Weekend festivities continued with entertainment from street performers, balloon artists, an extreme juggling show, Painting in the Park with Cheers Pablo, 10 local school performances and three side stages full of music and family entertainment. Timberwork’s Lumberjack Show performed an art straight out of Wisconsin’s Northwoods’ logging history. Food vendors provided hungry festivalgoers with an abundant choice of tasty snacks and meals.
Main Stage performances included OneRepublic, REO Speedwagon, Jake Owen, Tyler Hubbard, Trace Adkins, WALK THE MOON, Raelynn and Sawyer Brown. Festivalgoers jammed out to a variety of classic rock, pop, and country shows. OneRepublic wrapped up the festival with a performance of Counting Stars under a beautiful Wisconsin star-filled sky.
Ashley for the Arts would like to thank all of the fans for joining in on festival fun and for being supporters of the cause, helping to raise a generous amount of money for the community. Ashley Furniture Industries, LLC, Ashley for the Arts’ Host Sponsor, along with numerous community and corporate sponsors made this event possible, providing affordable access to music and arts for the entire weekend. With the help of volunteers who filled nearly 4,000 shifts, Ashley for the Arts was able to put on the one-of-a-kind non-profit event. Thank you to all who dedicated their time to the event and to all emergency service and security personnel for their assistance.
Save the date for 2024, August 8, 9 and 10 in Arcadia, Wisconsin. For more information on Ashley for the Arts, visit www.AshleyfortheArts.com.
View the Ashley for the Arts recap video.
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Ashley for the Arts is a nonprofit initiative that provides the entire family with world class entertainment, art, exercise and family fun for a remarkably low cost. The organization is one of Wisconsin’s largest charity events, donating over $3 Million since its inception to more than 70 non-profit organizations, including participating schools, children’s charities, and medical research. This music and arts festival was conceptualized and established by Ashley Furniture Industries in 2009 and takes place in Arcadia, Wisconsin’s Memorial Park.
For more information on Ashley for the Arts, visit www.AshleyfortheArts.com. “Like” Ashley for the Arts on Facebook and follow us Instagram @AshleyfortheArts.
