Art lovers and those wanting to learn more about art can find artistic creations and demonstrations at Arts THRIVE in Carbondale.

The free, family-friendly art festival hosted by Women to Women: THRIVE will be held Saturday, June 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Memorial Park in the city’s downtown.

Arts THRIVE features educational and interactive displays and hands-on demonstrations with artists, artisans and vendors from fine arts, visual arts, culinary arts, mixed media, healing arts, painting, photography and more.

“The folks that come to the festival can learn about art and how creative they are,” said Mary Lynn Brannon, Women to Women: THRIVE member.

This will be the seventh year Women to Women: THRIVE will host Arts THRIVE since the event was first held in 2018. The art festival has only missed one year, in 2020.

Since it began, the event has now expanded outside the park and along the sidewalks down Main Street as well, according to Brannon.

Women to Women: THRIVE is a group of women who got together and wanted to have more events in Carbondale. They meet in the Chamber of Commence building and currently have 16 members, according to Brannon.

Interactive demonstrations of different types of art will take place during the event, including a balloon artist and jewelry makers. New this year will be a forager. Valley in Motion will also start painting a mural in downtown Carbondale during the event. In previous years, there were cooking, yoga and sewing machine demonstrations, according to Brannon.

During the event, those attending can take part in make-and-take art projects for all ages, according to Brannon.

Vendors will offer hand-crafted items for sale, such as toy tops, jewelry and painted wine glasses.

Brannon hopes Arts THRIVE will bring people to Carbondale to show them what local shops and restaurants the city has to offer. In the past, people have come to attend the event from as far away as the Catskills and the Philadelphia area, according to Brannon.

During the event, a big tent in the park will have a basket raffle that will be raffled off at the end of the day. Proceeds from the basket raffle will go toward future Arts THRIVE events, according to Brannon.

Funds from the Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Department are used to put on the annual event. Without the support from the county and community donations, Women to Women: THRIVE would not be able to hold Arts THRIVE, according to Brannon.

Women to Women: THRIVE found many artists to start the event in Carbondale by originally reaching out through other art events in the surrounding area, according to Brannon.

Over the years, Women to Women: THRIVE has developed a relationship with local businesses and artists. The group receives help from the community to put on the event, including some members of the Carbondale Area Junior/Senior High School football team who help to set up and take down tables.

Women to Women: THRIVE takes about three months of planning to organize the annual event. They start a call for artists to sign up to participate in February each year, according to Brannon.

“It is fun to do and you meet lots of folks,” said Brannon.

Pop Pop’s Food Truck will sell food at Arts THRIVE. Additionally, McDonnell’s Family Restaurant will have food specials the day of the event, according to Brannon.

To learn more about Women to Women: THRIVE, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/w2wTHRIVE.

If you go

What: Arts THRIVE art festival, hosted by Women to Women: THRIVE

When: June 7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Memorial Park, downtown Carbondale

Info: Visit the Women to Women: THRIVE Facebook page.