Saturday, August 29 and Sunday, August 30
Times: Saturday, 10am – 8pm and Sunday, 11am – 4pm
Art & Craft Demonstrations
It’s ALIVE! Stop by our Arts and Crafts Demonstration Pavillion where artisans of a variety of mediums ply their talents for your enjoyment and edification. Painters and potters, wood carvers and sculptors, jewelry designers, felters, weavers and much more. Featuring the talented members of the Gateway East Artists Guild, the Artisan Guild of Southern Illinois, the Midwest Woodcarvers, joined by students, teachers and a mixture of other local artisans, see “behind the curtain” of creativity. Be inspired. Learn a new skill. Support local arts in the making.
All day Saturday and Sunday in the Arts and Crafts Demonstration Pavilion.
Artisan Guild of Southern Illinois
The Artisan Guild of Southern Illinois is a non-profit organization formed to further the understanding of and appreciation for all arts and fine crafts with special emphasis in the arts and crafts of our heritage (fibers, fabrics, smithing, pottery, basketry, weaving, leathercraft, woodworking, homestead life, and more). The Guild accomplishes this through the conduct and support of workshops, classes, demonstrations, displays, meetings, lectures, and sales. Meetings are open to the public. (We love to make things!) Visit the Artisan Guild of Southern Illinois website for additional information, www.artisansil.org.
Gateway East Artist Guild
A non-profit organization of art enthusiasts, GEAG encourages self-expression through the visual arts, and fosters awareness, appreciation, and artistic development through educational programs throughout the St Louis Metro-East community. GEAG members are from a wide variety artistic backgrounds and skill levels, from professional, nationally recognized artists, to those just starting out. Meetings are open to the public. Visit the GEAG website for additional information, www.geag.net.
Midwest Woodcarvers
The Midwest Woodcarvers club celebrates 60 years of providing woodcarving training, inspiration, and creative expressions to the greater St Louis area. With a membership numbering some 100 artisans, the Woodcarvers club represents all varieties of wood carving methods. Meetings are open to the public. Visit the Woodcarvers club Facebook page for additional information.
New Waves of Contemporary Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit
Coinciding with the festival is a unique and immersive art experience: the New Waves of Contemporary Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit, presented in collaboration with ArtVillage Fairview Heights and curated by acclaimed artist Catharine Magel. Now in its fourth consecutive year, this temporary outdoor exhibition offers visitors a rare opportunity to experience large-scale contemporary sculptures in a self-guided, museum-style setting.
Transforming Moody Park into an open-air gallery, the exhibit features thought-provoking works by contemporary artists from across the region and beyond. Visitors are invited to explore at their own pace, engaging with sculptures that inspire interaction, reflection, and conversation. Blending the quality of a museum exhibition with the beauty of a natural outdoor environment, the New Waves exhibit enriches the festival experience while making contemporary art accessible to all.
MEET FLAME: A VERY LARGE PROBLEM… IF YOU’RE AN APPLE.
Get up close with one of the biggest attractions coming to Midwest Salute to the Arts!
Meet FLAME, a magnificent Clydesdale from JFP Equine. Standing approximately 19.1 hands tall and weighing more than 2,300 pounds, FLAME has become accustomed to hearing the same reactions everywhere he goes:
“No way.”
“He’s HUGE.”
“That’s the biggest horse I’ve ever seen.”
He’s also become accustomed to people immediately pulling out their phones. Around the barn, everyone simply calls him**”Big Boy.”** It’s a fitting nickname for a horse who has to duck his head to walk into his stall and somehow still manages to make pickup trucks look compact.
When FLAME isn’t posing for photos, he’s usually on the lookout for his next snack. Carrots are at the top of the list, but apples, German Horse Muffins, and just about anything else worth chewing are all fair game. One mystery remains unsolved: Does FLAME know how big he is? The evidence is inconclusive. What we do know is that wherever he goes, people stop, smile, and say, “WOW!”
JFP Equine, located in nearby Waterloo, Illinois, specializes in unforgettable Clydesdale experiences and is led by Jim Poole, who managed the famous Budweiser Clydesdale program for nearly 25 years before founding JFP Equine.
📅 Friday, August 28, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Moody Park
📌 Fairview Heights, IL 62208
Bring your camera, bring your questions, and bring the whole family for this special Clydesdale Meet & Greet. This is your chance to meet one of the world’s most iconic gentle giants and snap some unforgettable photos.
…and if you’re an apple, maybe have a backup plan. 🍎😄
Interested in Purchasing Masterpiece Money for your Friends?