Suzanne Winland was on hand at the annual Art in the Square street festival in part to help people learn to dance.
That worked out well. For the first time in years, people didn’t have to jitterbug, waltz or hip-hop around traffic on West Market Street for the annual Highland Square neighborhood event. That’s because the city closed off West Market for the festival.
“I’m so gratified they got the street closed. It’s so much safer,” said Winland, founder and artistic director of Pointe West Performances. The new organization offered a free dance workshop and other performances at the festival.
Thousands of people went to see dance groups, live music and other performances and to shop at artists’ booths.
The free event, which opened at 10 a.m. and ran through 7 p.m., pulled together an eclectic mix of some 150 artists, 50 music and other acts, food booths and more.
“What I love is people experience all sorts of arts,” said Winland, who brought in many of the performers at the festival.
Brian Gardner, who walked the festival while perched on stilts, liked what he saw of the neighborhood from his higher-than-average view.
“It’s really nice,” the Cleveland resident said. “It has a little Austin, Texas, feel. Really cool.”
The sunny weather, however, was anything but cool, with temperatures soaring into the 90s.
Dancers Bella Sin and Dixie D’Vamp — they gave out only their stage names — walked the festival to drum up support for a performance later this month in Akron by their Cleveland burlesque troupe.
“It says something — so many people out here in this weather,” D’Vamp said.
“There’s just so much side entertainment. It’s so refreshing,” Sin said.
Custom gold and silver jewelry maker Margo Snyder, a Stow resident, said this was her first year selling at Art in the Square.
“People are just kind of browsing,” Snyder said. “But it’s going good.”
Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com.