By Amber McIver-Traywick

The Surveyor

There will be dragons this year at the 15^th annual Wildfire Community Arts Center’s 2018 Street Festival which will take place on Saturday, Sept. 8, from 5 to 10 p.m. The family-friendly festival will feature music, dance, and art, and the public will be introduced to a 12-foot-long mosaic dragon who now calls Berthoud home. The free event will be held outside of the center, which is located at 425 Massachusetts Ave. between Fourth and Fifth streets.

Lory Ohs, the art center’s executive director said the event is the non-profit organization’s main fundraising event for the year, but she also said, “It’s free to come and enjoy, that’s what we want to offer to the community. If they don’t want to bid on anything or buy anything, we want neighbors to come together and meet each and have a good time.”

Following with the dragon theme, the kids’ craft studio will be open for children to make dragon puppets and throw their ideas in the hat for what the new cement and mosaic dragon should be named. The piece was created by local artist Patricia Singelyn and worked on over the past eight weeks by nine other women at the center. The Berthoud Community Library will also be there with a green screen, offering a fun dragon-themed photo op for kids and adults. Face painting will be available for the young and young at heart to enjoy as well.

Dance demonstrations will be given by groups that are a part of the Wildfire Community Arts Center; including Tap Roots, Hula Dancers, and Just for Kix. Berthoud Drum Circle will also take the stage.

This year’s musical headliner will be the Longmont-based group Joe Cool Band. The group is no stranger to this event, as they have previously performed at the annual festival. The group includes a nine-piece band, a horn section, and four-part harmony vocals. They perform an assortment of music from R and B to rock, and a variety of familiar covers.  The band’s website explains what their music is all about and what festival attendees have to look forward to when they perform. “Our goal is to give you a night to remember, a celebration filled with fun, laughter, family and friends, great music, and a packed dance floor.”

Food and beverages will be available from The G-Spot Noshery, Yolk-N Around, Tim’s Italian Ice, Poppin’ Kettle, and City Star Brewery.

A silent auction will be available between 5 and 8 p.m., and a live auction will take place at 7 p.m. Auction items include artwork, gift baskets, and gift certificates donated by local artists and businesses. All of the proceeds will go the organization that is, according to their mission statement, “…dedicated to building community through the arts.”