ARTHEALTHY FESTIVAL EXPECTED TO DRAW THOUSANDS
Georgia College & State University’s Front Campus will transform into a festival grounds, as the ArtHealthy Festival is all set for this Saturday.
More than 4,000 people are expected to attend, and admission if free. The festivities will begin at noon and wrap up around 5 p.m.
The stretch of Hancock Street in front of Georgia College will be blocked off during the festival.
“It’s a family-friendly event with a focus on art initiatives and healthy lifestyle initiatives,” said Greg Barnes, who founded the festival in 2013 alongside his wife, Toyia Barnes. “It’s an opportunity for all people of all ages to come together.”
Along with free health screenings, vendors and a kids’ zone, there will be plenty of opportunities to “move.”
Bodyplex will host a Zumba class on the main stage at 11:05 a.m., while line dancing begins at 12:30. Also available will be a class in Tai Chi, a form of physically active meditation, as well as Krav Maga, a form of self-defense.
Food trucks and food vendors will set up, although “we try to keep it on the healthier side,” said Greg Barnes.
The day kicks off with the ArtHealthy Festival 5K Run-Walk at 8:30 a.m.
The festival was inspired by Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative, according to Greg Barnes. According to the Center for Disease Control’s latest figures, 4-out-of-10 Baldwin County residents are “obese.”
For more information, visit arthealthy.org.