‘Ignite the Arts’ events come to Washington this weekend

WASHINGTON — A new weekend festivity comes to Washington’s downtown June 13-15, where organizers have a long lineup of events planned to highlight the community’s creative side.

In a partnership between Art Domestique, the Washington Cultural and Entertainment District, the city and a handful of local businesses, “Ignite the Arts” seeks to merge an existing annual “En Plein Aire” event hosted by the downtown art gallery with new attractions, like a “story walk” around the square, crafts at the Washington Library Makerspace and live music in Central Park, among other things.

“This is just to give the community, kind of, an experience with the arts, to let them recognize how important the arts are to our lives, to Washington,” Washington Mayor and Great Places Committee Member Millie Youngquist said. “I mean, we wouldn’t have been designated as this district if we didn’t have a lot of these things already.”

Another new event in the lineup on Friday and Saturday night is enticingly titled “ignite the night,” and will take see downtown businesses leave their interior lights on, along with the holiday lights lining the square. Organizers say the unusual illumination will create a new challenge within Art Domestique’s “En Plein Aire,” outdoor painting competition.

“It’ll be a chance to come and see the square all lit up, you wouldn’t have to freeze like at Christmastime!” Youngquist said.

A full schedule of the weekend’s festivities is below.

Friday, June 13:

Saturday, June 14:

Sunday, June 15:

Other events happening all day, all weekend:

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com