June 10-12 Omaha Summer Arts Festival Gene Leahy Mall, 10th-15th Streets, Omaha, FREE Fri.-Sat. 11a.m.-11p.m.; Sun. 11a.m.-5p.m. Summerarts.org, 402.345.5401 From speed-dating to speed-painting, the Omaha Summer Arts Festival has it all…well, not the dating thing, but speed-painting; who knew? Tim Decker delights crowds with his five-minute celebrity and political portraits with music, humor and audience participation. Of course, the national award-winning Arts Festival boasts the usual 100+ juried exhibiting artists, children’s activities, foods and libations galore, as well as the ongoing stage of music including Omaha Entertainment and Arts Award-winning artists All Young Girls are Machine Guns. Also new this year, the Omaha Public Library hosts a huge book sale and special activities including crafts and a petting zoo! A petting zoo at an arts festival…doesn’t get much better than that…but it does. This year the “ArtSeen” interaction area features Omaha Public Power District’s latest green-themed recycling art project and the Nebraska Chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Artists “Revinylze Nebraska” art activitie were anyone can create wallets, purses or bags from repurposed billboard vinyl.
Omaha Summer Arts Festival
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