E. Connor

The Jenkintown Festival of the Arts is an annual event held in Jenkintown’s Old Town Square, from 1pm to 6pm on September 17, 2023. The festival spans the corners of West Avenue, Leedom Street, Summit Avenue, and Greenwood Avenue with vendors, exhibitors, musicians, dance studios, and kids’ crafts and activities. The event is held by the Jenkintown Community Alliance (JCA) a nonprofit organization dedicated to “[enhancing] the Jenkintown community, making it a better place to live, work and shop.”

Chelsea Sperger, president of the JCA, describes the event as “an amazing day of community and creativity,” and an “important day for showcasing our amazing town.”

According to Sperger, the Festival of the Arts brings in over 10,000 visitors annually, in addition to over 100 art booths, three stages of live music, brew tents, and plenty of food options. Some of these can be seen on the festival’s website, as well as previous vendors and exhibitors.

Historically, the Arts Festival has been sponsored by Penn State. This has changed since Covid-19, but Penn State students are still welcome to attend the event and participate, if qualified. Those interested in becoming an exhibitor can register their pieces online, alongside a logo, a photo of their booth setup, a close-up of their work, and a link to their social media. Anyone is welcome to register, but Jenkintown residents receive a $50 discount.

“The Jenkintown Festival of the Arts is the primary fundraiser for the Jenkintown Community Alliance,” Sperger says. “As a local 301c Non-profit organization, we offer funding for local projects such as community art installations, playground improvement funding, sponsorship of outdoor community spaces, holiday event planning and decor, and a weekly summer farmer’s market.”

The event is still a few months away, but it is never too early to support a local community and prepare for the festival. For more information, you can visit their website or contact the JCA directly here.