This week's Art Talk Monday is written by Jessica Slaughter, NCLAC's Executive Director
The countdown is on to this year’s ARToberfest, which will be NCLAC’s 5th annual beer-tasting fundraiser. This tasty evening will be Friday, October 24, from 5-10pm, at the Norton Building in downtown Ruston, giving us more room than ever to showcase the region’s home brews, a variety of commercial beers, and to provide hours of musical entertainment. Tickets for the event can be purchased at Fine Line Art Supply and the Dixie Center for the Arts. Two options are available. Early Bird tickets, at $30 each, provide 5pm entry, a commemorative pint glass, and a pretzel necklace. Only 100 of these are available, and they’re going quickly. General Admission tickets, at $20 each, provide 6:30pm entry. Each option offers the ticket holder tastings of beers until 10pm and access to live music. Pint glasses will be for sale, as well as pretzel necklaces and raffle items. New this year will be food trucks, offering sales of food that pair well with beer, so be sure to bring cash for dinner. The music line-up for this year includes Ken Carter; Bethany Raybourn and the Goodness Gracious; Danny Lee and Dave; and the Swinging Richards.
Let’s talk about who is making this event possible. First of all we have Marsala Beverage as Grand Title Sponsor, providing 70 commercial beer varieties. These give attendees the opportunity to try many new beers that are available for purchase in our area without committing to an entire six pack at the store. Next, Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living is our Title Sponsor, providing clean, smoke-free air for this indoor/outdoor event. For our dedicated home brewers, Devine Wines and Spirits Plus is once again offering the Devine Home Brewer Awards, with handsome trophies for our People’s Choice and Brewers’ Choice winners. The Norton Building itself is our Site Sponsor, assisting with our new, larger venue. Sundown Tavern is the After Party Sponsor, so be sure to head over to Sundown when ARToberfest ends to finish your night right. For our hardworking volunteers, including brewers and musicians, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is providing dinner, and Super One Foods, our Snack Table Sponsor, is providing bar snacks for ticket holders. Behind the scenes we have our fabulous ARToberfest Committee who has been working for months to make this night the best it can be: Meg Waters Allen, Allie Bennett, Cain Budds, Nicole Duet, Amanda McCoy and Elaine Thompson.
We are grateful for the support of so many people with this event because it raises funds for Holiday Arts Tour, scheduled for November 20-23. This year’s Tour, the 17th annual, is the largest in memory, with 35 downtown locations participating. Our roster of artists this year includes 60+ visual and literary artists, and 15+ musical performances, including a Community Variety Show on Sunday, Nov. 23, that will feature ballroom dancing, singing, international music and more. We will again offer Sprout Sunday activities for children, artists’ demonstrations, a poetry reading, and artists who are ready to share insight into their works with you. Mark your calendars for Holiday Arts Tour next month, and visit nclarts.org to get more details about the weekend.
So, now that you’re in the know about all-things-ARToberfest, be sure to get your tickets! Once again, they’re available at Fine Line Arts Supply and the Dixie Center for the Arts. No one under 21 will be allowed at the event. For more information, visit our ARToberfest facebook page, or our ARToberfest page on our official site .