CHICKASHA — Chickasha’s historic Rock Island Depot will burst into life again this fall, when the second annual Rock Island Arts Festival envelops the east end of Chickasha Avenue with another weekend of arts saturation!



This unique festival is set for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 1 and 2, and is free to the public. From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., come and enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of local artists of all types.

This year, visitors can browse many of the artisan booths underneath our shady big-top tent and the smaller satellite tents. From paintings and sculpture to photography, woodturning and wearable art, these booths will be a feast for the eyes. But these works aren’t just for show – bring your wallet so you can bring home some original art! Maybe even a henna tattoo...

Ali Harter returns to the RIAF stage as Friday night’s headliner. This Choctaw native received second place for best local singer/songwriter in this year’s Best of OKC in the OK Gazette. Her earthy roots sound has been heard around the U.S. and across the Atlantic.

Chickasha’s own Travis Linville is on deck for Saturday night. He’s been traveling for some 12 years now, sharing his soulful country and folk music with audiences far and wide, but this homegrown artist is making his way back to his roots to take part in this homegrown festival.

Other local performers and groups will delight festival-goers throughout both days – listen for Fit of Whimsey (Shane Harris), Justin Hightower and the Dash, and USAO’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble and Key Players. Watch for demonstrations by Transformations Martial Arts, line dancers, as well as other dance groups.

Gather round the steps of the Mill Building later in the afternoon on Friday to hear three of Oklahoma’s own wordsmiths. Lauren Zuniga is a performance poet and activist, and has represented Oklahoma in seven national poetry competitions. A top-20 finisher at the Woman of the World Poetry Slam in 2010, Lauren was also nominated for Oklahoma State Poet Laureate by the Individual Artists of Oklahoma.

Dorothy Alexander is a poet, storyteller and co-owner of Village Books Press. Her latest book of poetry, Lessons from an Oklahoma Girlhood, was a finalist in the 2009 Oklahoma Book Awards. Alexander also edits the annual anthology of the Woody Guthrie Poets. She lives in Oklahoma City and Cheyenne, Okla. Andy Bowen, of Waurika, has been a regular face in the Oklahoma City poetry scene since 2003, and is a regular host for the weekly reading at Sauced in The Paseo. He was a member of the 2010 Oklahoma City Red Dirt Slam Poetry Team and competed at the National Poetry Slam for the first time in August 2010.

This year, the Oklahoma Wine Tasting has expanded to include some of Oklahoma’s own breweries. Stop by the Depot building to sample hand-crafted wines and beers, as well as Hardesty Cheese. Two of this year’s featured wineries are The Range Winery and Vineyard of Anadarko, and Legends Winery and Vineyard of Lindsay.

The Main Street merchants are teaming up with RIAF again to present an even bigger and better children’s area. In addition to a variety of art projects, face painting, and a special visit from a local clown, children can bounce off some energy in the moonbounce, enjoy story time with puppets and librarian assistants from Chickasha Public Library, or visit Chickasha firefighters on one of their fire engines. And the popular treasure hunt dig will be back, with a new, separate sand play area, just for the smallest diggers.

Students from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma will also have their own tent, with several fun activities for young and old alike. And of course, lots of food vendors will be on hand to help guests stay energized throughout the festival – barbecue, funnel cakes, roasted corn and more!

This grass-roots festival is presented by the Chickasha Area Arts Council and the Rock Island Arts Festival Committee, and is possible entirely through the work of volunteers and the support of our generous sponsors, and we can always use more help. If you would like to join in the effort to make Chickasha’s unique arts festival a fantastic annual event, log on to  www.rockislandartsfestival.org.

See you at the Depot!