This was my second time at the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts (Arts Fest), and I think I figured out how to navigate it better this time around. Last year, several of my friends came and visited during Arts Fest. During the day, we walked around and saw the booths quickly. However, it was very difficult to really appreciate the art because of the large crowds. The walkway up to the Paterno Library near Old Main was nearly impossible to navigate at even a slow pace, so walking by the booths became more of a hassle instead of just leisurely walking and enjoying the art.

However, this year was completely different. On Saturday, I walked around with my friends for a few hours, but then I had to meet my aunt and uncle for an early dinner. I figured that this was not a problem because I could walk around Sunday, the last day of Arts Fest. This was a great coincidence because most of the people that are in town for the weekend leave early Sunday morning.

My roommate and I got to walk around at a reasonable pace and looked at every booth. It was nice because they were not overcrowded, so we could actually walk into the booth if we wanted a closer look at the art. We had the time and space to take pictures for one of our friends who was not able to come up for the weekend. We also got to enjoy probably a little too much of the food as well. We even got to see Dr. Kirsch, and we talked to her for a bit.

Overall, if you really want to enjoy Arts Fest, the best time to walk around is actually Sunday, the last day of the festival. I had a wonderful time this year, and I am glad that I already have my plan for next year’s Arts Fest set.