What you need to know about the 2021 Greeley Arts Picnic
Folks enjoy the Greeley Arts Picnic in 2019. Courtesy photo.
By Dan England
The Greeley Arts Picnic would like to welcome you back to 2019.
The picnic should look, sound and operate just like it did before the pandemic canceled anything fun last summer.
“We are business as usual,” said Andrea Haring, special events coordinator for the City of Greeley. “It’s really all the same.”
Even a few months ago, that didn’t seem possible, but the vaccine rollout, for those who got one, anyway, has helped to restore a sense of normalcy.
The Arts Picnic will continue to be a bit cautious, Haring said. The picnic will offer arts and crafts kits to kids in place of creation stations, but it will also have tables available if the tots want to tear into the crafts at the picnic. The beer tent will actually be two tents.
“We didn’t want to sandwich everyone in the one tent like sardines,” she said.
In addition, chairs at the entertainment section and art vendors selling their wares will be a bit more spread out. Those attending can bring lawn chairs or blankets as well.
“We may not have as many chairs,” Haring said. “We are just trying to preach the message of it being a picnic.”
There are 14 entertainers on the two stages, with a magic act on Saturday and circus acts on Sunday as special treats. There are also 162 booths from sponsors, non-profits and artists.
“Some were hesitant back in February when the application became available,” she said Monday. “Now I’m having tons of people ask me, ‘Can I get In?’ I have juggled some but now I just have to stop the crazy.”
Some of the favorites have aged out or quit or died, but many will be back. There aren’t quite as many vendors as there have been in the past, but it won’t feel that way.
“I’m still happy with our numbers,” Haring said. “That just gives us room to grow in the future. The park will be full.”
To go to the Greeley Arts Picnic
The 42nd annual Arts Picnic will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday in Lincoln Park, 802 10th Ave. in downtown Greeley. The picnic kicks off with a special Friday Fest from 7-9 p.m. with an annual tradition, Funkiphino.