Do you appreciate artwork and not have anything to do the weekend of June 2? If so, go to the Edina Art Fair located at the intersection of 50th and France! This annual fair started in 1966 and has around 250,000-300,000 visitors each year. The theme of the year is “The Art of Connection,” illustrating the ways in which art can bring people together. The Edina Art Fair in the past was rated on one of the top 50 fairs in the United States and has gotten many other awards throughout the years. This summer, it will take place on Friday June 2. from 10am-7pm, Saturday June 3. from 10am-7pm, and lastly Sunday June 4. from 10am-5pm.
Zellie Olson ‘25 has gone to the fair multiple times and always enjoys her time there. Whether she is shopping for jewlery, paintings, or merely walking around, Olson admires the creativity that everyone places into their art. Olson talks about the vibe of the fair, “It’s very welcoming, you get to know how they made their art, how they got there, they really let you open themselves to their art journey.” Olson continues, “you feel like you get to see their art journey then and there instead of just seeing the final project.”
The Edina Art Fair is a great way to begin the summer, with amazing art and food. There are not only forms of art but lots of opportunities to participate in crafts. There is a community art project where people paint panels on canvas’s which will be shown on Sunday at the end of the weekend. Some other forms of entertainment that’s offered include dance performances, music, and magic shows.
The featured artist of the 2023 year is Suyao Tian, a gallerist of Viewpoint Gallery in the Twin Cities where she she curates, paints, and runs the gallery while also working at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She originally went to college in China and arrived in the US in 2011 where she started to work on designing art. Some of her artwork, specifically her paintings, are part of many exhibitions across the country.
The fair is an amazing opportunity to go out and take time to appreciate artwork and the creativity from community artists. Olson explains, “What inspires me most is probably how the community can come together and how when it feels like sometimes there’s not enough appreciation for artists and what they put into their work. It feels great to see an entire community show up to buy from them and to support their creativity.”
