California Arts Day celebrates the beginning of the second annual Salinas Artist Studio Tour. The free event kicks off with a community celebration during the Frist Fridays Art Walk in downtown Salinas on October 7th from 5pm-8pm featuring live music, art, dance, and light refreshments.

Oldtown restaurants are offering dinner specials after 8pm and many stores are staying open late to welcome local residents, art afficiandos and art curious visitors. This celebration of Salinas arts and artists takes place the weekend after the Monterey Open studios Tour and features 3 weekends of great art.

Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue proclaimed the First Friday in October Salinas Arts Day in 2008 - following the lead of then-Governer Arnold Swartzenegger proclaiming California Arts Day, also the 1st Friday in October.

Over 30 lcoal artists open their studios to the public the first weekend in October - ushering in National Arts & Humanities Month with a blast of culture. While the First Fridays Art Walk happens once a month, rain or shine, the Studio Tour is an annual event.

"Salinas is quite the undiscovered treasure for the arts," states local artist and organizer Trish Triumpho Sullivan. "We have a wealth of talent here - most of whom exhibit out of the area. Salinas boasts a few world famous artists, too!"

Participants include Sullivan herself, a photograher who both paints and sculpts, cartoonist Bridette Spicer, Deamer Dunn, who works in acrylic and new media, watercolorist Andy Williams, and phographer Glen McDowell.

"Artoberfest offers something for everyone, every age group, every taste," proclaims McDowell, who is known for his vintage-inspired pin up art. "Salinas has lowbrow art, and even animae! We are suprisingly diverse here," he adds.

Due to the over-whelming sucess of last year's event, Artoberfest has expanded to the first two weekends in October – one for Salinas and North County, and one for South County, and Salinas Valley, culminating with a Gala Reception on October 22 to coincide with the 1st annual Salinas Valley Food & Wine Festival..  Look for the Artoberfest 2011 celebration to begin on California Arts Day with the First Fridays Art Walk. For more information contact Trish Sullivan at 83.594.1799

Event Facts:
Entry Deadline: 09.30.11 by midnight
Plein Air Festival: 09.30.11 & 09.30.11 10am-5pm
Opening Event: 1st Fridays Art Walk 10.07.11 5pm-8pm
Artist Studio Tour: 10.08.11, 1-.09.11 & 10.15.11 & 10.16.11, 11am-5pm Gala Reception: 10.22.11

Download PDF file here

Artoberfest Poster

Photo Gallery & Links

Artoberfest P.O. Box 548 Salinas CA 93902
Organizer: Trish Sullivan 831.594.1799
sullyart@sbcglobal.net