A Big Day Planned for the 5th Annual Downtown Glenside Arts Festival

On April 21, the 5th Annual Downtown Glenside Arts Festival will welcome more than 70 established and emerging artists and crafters from around the region, in celebration of Earth Day. The festival will also feature food trucks, Earth Day activities, wine, cider and vodka tastings, a mural painting, and plenty of activities for kids such as seed planting, face painting and various games throughout.

The line up for the live entertainment is impressive, starting with the Sons of Pitch and Up the Octave, the all-male and all-female a capella groups from Cheltenham High School. Later in the day, the festival stage will welcome popular local musicians Skip and Chickie ; then get ready to dance to the sound of By Any Means, the B.A.M. Band of Philadelphia courtesy of sponsor Rasheen Davis and GBC of Glenside Avenue.

Please note that the Arts Festival will run, rain or shine, from 11 AM to 5 PM. all taking part on Easton Road, Glenside Avenue and Wesley Plaza, in downtown Glenside PA, easily accessible by train, bus or car.

See what the key participants are providing in this year’s event:

Arcadia University, which returns to the festival this year with Part 2 of the Arcadia Public Art Project. Between the hours of 11 AM and 2 PM, join artist David Guinn and the Arcadia Apprenticeship Students as they create a mural for the east side of the Easton Road underpass at the Glenside Train Station. [@arcadiapublicart on Facebook and Instagram]

New Life Church, partnering with Arcadia Christian Fellowship and Penn State University Christian Fellowship to provide fun activities for the kids including seed planting, bracelet making, and face painting. The Cheltenham Township Library System will be on hand to distribute this year’s “One Book” – My Cousin Momo by Zachariah OHora (one per family) – plus related activities.

Also, look for the Giant Games scattered throughout the festival: Jenga, Checkers, Corn Hole, Plinko, and Ring and Ball Tosses! Make sure your child stops by the local Main Line Baskets shop to pick a lollipop from the Lollipop Tree and possibly win a prize!

The local Downtown Glenside shops and restaurants are gearing up for a great day, as well; many are participating with tables and specials, including:

Glenside Avenue shops

  • The Nest
  • Dress to Dance
  • Foot Flashing
  • Crystal Cottage
  • Glenside Collectibles
  • Dovetail Artisans

Easton Road shops

  • Sweet Magnolia
  • Moody Gallery
  • Main Line Baskets
  • Thrift Collectibles
  • Leather Case
  • Hibbert’s

On Wesley Plaza

  • Flow
  • DC Interiors
  • Won Institute

Local restaurants:

  • Glenside Pub
  • TreVi
  • Anne’s Kitchen Table
  • Elcy’s Cafe
  • Dreams Ice Cream Factory

The Glenside Fire Company will also be selling hot dogs and soft pretzels in Wesley Plaza. In additon  there will be a handful of awesome Food Trucks that will line Glenside Avenue and Wesley Plaza, including;

  • Bonjour Creperie
  • Cannoli Cafe
  • Li Ping Corn Company
  • Philly Fry
  • Smokin’ Tacos
  • Stuff’d Buns
  • Tim’s BBQ

Many local non-profit organizations and local representatives will be on hand with literature and information, including:

  • Abington Chorale Club
  • Arcadia University Christian Fellowship
  • Cheltenham Township Adult Education
  • Cheltenham Township Library System
  • Communities That Care
  • Creekside Coop
  • Environmental Advisory Council of Cheltenham and it’s Bird Town Committee
  • Friends of Grove Park
  • Glenside Rotary
  • Glenside United Church of Christ
  • New Life Church
  • Penn State University Christian Fellowship
  • State Senator Art Haywood
  • State Representative Stephen McCarter
  • Tookany Watershed
  • United Parents Group

The festival will also feature:

  • Wine tastings by Cardinal Hollow Winery of Lansdale, PA
  • Cider tastings by Stone and Key Cellars of Montgomeryville, PA
  • Vodka tastings by Stateside Vodka of Philadelphia
  • Plus, a beer garden courtesy of GG Brewing Company of Glenside, PA

Festival partners include the Downtown Glenside Community Partnership, the Downtown Glenside Foundation, Cheltenham Township, and Sustainable Cheltenham. The fine art and craft show is being produced by Renaissance Craftables of Philadelphia.

For more information, check out www.downtownglenside.com