The Charlevoix Venetian Festival returns July 19-26, bringing eight days of concerts, family activities, athletic events, parades and waterfront celebrations to East Park and other nearby locations.
Along with the festival’s packed schedule of activities, the event also highlights a featured artist. This year, that honor belongs to local resident Lauren Kwapisz. A multidisciplinary artist, Kwapisz has created an original painting commemorating the annual Skydive Charlevoix jump featuring the American flag.
Kwapisz describes herself as being “driven by a deep appreciation for observation, atmosphere and the subtle details that bring a subject to life,” according to her artist bio.
Kwapisz moved to Charlevoix in 2018 and has been coming to the Venetian Festival just about every year since.
“I’ve always enjoyed it,” Kwapisz said. “It’s an event I look forward to.”
The original painting will be auctioned at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22 from the Odmark Pavilion stage in East Park. Those unable to attend in person may place a bid or arrange for a designated bidder.
All about Venetian Festival
Founded in 1931, the Charlevoix Venetian Festival began as a modest candlelit boat parade inspired by celebrations in Venice, Italy. Over the decades, it has grown into one of Northern Michigan’s largest and longest-running community festivals while retaining its hometown atmosphere and strong volunteer spirit. It draws around 100,000 attendees each year, according to Charlevoix Venetian Festival Board Member Anne Golski.
Popular events at the festival include basketball and soccer tournaments, live music every evening on the Odmark stage in East Park, the Venetian Queen competition, carnival rides and more.
“The list goes on and on,” Golski said. “Many of our visitors return every year.”
Some highlights of this year’s Venetian schedule include:
The full event schedule is available to view at venetianfestival.com.
The festival serves as both a celebration of summer and an important economic driver for the Charlevoix area, bringing visitors to local shops, restaurants, marinas and lodging establishments during one of the busiest weeks of the tourism season. For many families, attending Venetian Festival events has become a multigenerational tradition passed from parents to children and grandchildren.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: What’s on the Charlevoix Venetian Festival schedule?
Reporting by M. Alan Scott, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By M. Alan Scott, The Petoskey News-Review | USA TODAY Network
