Head to Lake City this weekend for ArtFields

The small town of Lake City becomes an artist destination this weekend with the beginning of ArtFields, a nine-day festival and art competition showcasing contemporary Southern art and culture.

An hour and a half drive from Columbia, Lake City’s businesses, venues and restaurants transform into art galleries April 22-30.

In addition to gallery shows, there is a Color Me ArtFields 5K, live music, kids events and a makers market featuring crafts and food.

ArtFields started in 2013 and draws about 20,000 each year. The 2016 event will include more than 400 pieces from artists across the Southeast.

There are 248 participating artists from South Carolina, with 47 representing Columbia. Some recognizable names from Columbia include artists Eileen Blyth, Michaela Pilar Brown, Michael Dwyer and Laura Spong.

These emerging and established artists will compete for the $50,000 top prize. There are also awards for Juried Panel Prize ($25,000), People’s Choice two-dimensional ($12,500), People’s Choice three-dimensional ($12,500) and 10 Merit Awards ($1,000 each).

Event highlights include:

Public Art

10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, April 23, through Saturday, April 30

Check out Columbia, South Carolina, Power Company Collaborative’s interactive installation, The Home Project, or build a three-dimensional sculpture with 2015 People’s Choice artists Patz and Mike Fowle. View the community mural created by the South Carolina Rural Arts Project, artist Herman Keithand and local students.

Color Me ArtFields 5K

7:30 a.m. –11 a.m. Saturday, April 23

Run through downtown Lake City and end the race with a color splash. Get there early for a yoga session at 7:30 a.m. or a Zumba class at 8 a.m. Free massages will be offered until the end of the race. $25 for adults,$8 for kids 5-10.

Makers Market

11 a.m. –5 p.m. Saturday, April 23 on the Village Green

The Makers Market will showcase handcrafted and grown goods by artists and farmers from across the Southeast. Products and goods for sale include ceramics, jewelry, traditional fine art, woodwork and specialty foods. Demonstrations include natural indigo dyeing, ceramics, blacksmithing, soapmaking and woodworking.

Music on the Green

6:30 –10 p.m. Saturday, April 23 on the Village Green

Local band Hercules Farms opens the event with folk and soul tunes and bluegrass/Americana group Mountain Faith Band, a 2015 semi-finalist on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” will follow.

Family Fun & Art on the Green

1 –6 p.m. Sunday, April 24 on the Village Green

A day filled with outdoor art, games, music and art vendors. The Jr. Art Makers Workshop is 2-5 p.m. for children grades K-12. Participants can select from a variety of art-based activities and create their own personal works of art with artists and organizations from across the state. Free. Art Makers Workshop is $5.

Dandelion Gala – A Culinary & Musical Experience in White

6 –10 p.m. Thursday, April 28 at The Bean Market, 117 Henry St.

Chef LaTasha Mac, season 13 winner of FOX’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” will prepare a variety of hors d’oeuvres. Louise Latour will provide a selection of French wines paired to enhance the flavors of the evening. Guests decked out in all white attire will enjoy the sounds of gospel, soul and R&B-infused artist Liz Vice from Portland, Oregon. $85.

Foodies, Film and Music

6-9:30 p.m. Friday, April 29 on the Village Green

To start the evening, Plastic Musik will perform in the Village Green complete with boom whackers, buckets and kiddie pools as they put their radical twist on the greatest hits of our time. Guests can grab some grub from one of the food trucks and watch the premier outdoor screening of award-winning films from the Indie Grits film festival. Free.

Portrait Contest

10 a.m. –2 p.m. Saturday, April 30 at The Bean Market, 117 Henry St.

See 24 Southeastern artists compete for “Best in Show” and a $1,000 cash prize by creating timed portraits of local educators. Free.

Finale

6:30 –11 p.m. Saturday, April 30

Celebrate the competition artists of 2016 and the selected winners. There will be excellent food, “Air Art” and the soulful sounds of The Heather Hayes Experience, daughter of famed singer- songwriter Isaac Hayes.

To learn more about ArtFields 2016 events visit www.artfieldssc.org.

This story was originally published April 20, 2016 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Head to Lake City this weekend for ArtFields."