Y-Bridge Arts Festival Returns After 2 Year Pandemic Hiatus

ZANESVILLE, Oh – The Y-Bridge Arts Festival, hosted by ArtCOZ began Friday.

Artists are set up at Zane’s Landing with anything from pottery and paintings to handcrafted jewelry and wood-burnings.

Artist Stephanie Orr is one of many artists with artwork on display, with an assortment of ceramic pieces including figurines, mugs, and ornaments which are inspired by her love of using her hands to create art as well as focus her extra energy.

Orr says after a two-year long pause due to the pandemic she’s excited to be back out at the festival along with the other talented artists in attendance.

“It’s the first since post-pandemic, which is really exciting. There was a lot of excitement going into 2020 because of the year and it kind of went the way it did, and now we’re finally all back and it’s looking really exciting for this year,” Orr told us.

Another artist at the festival, Jon Shaeffer, features some very unique pieces, each made completely out of scrap metal and his own imagination which he says allows him to see any piece of scrap and envision a one-of-a-kind work of art.

Shaeffer is excited to share his art and see everyone out and enjoying it.

“I like sharing my art with people. That’s the part of doing this is the people walking around, ‘look at that!’ ‘Look at that!’ ‘Look at that!’ You know, they seem to enjoy it, they’re seeing different things and that’s what warms my heart, is the fact that they’re liking what I’m doing,” Shaeffer said.

In addition to the artists and their works on display, the festival includes an art tent with kids crafts, adult art activities from MCLS, as well as, open mic hours with Steve Spires.

You can check out the festival, including Shaeffer and Orr’s art until 10:30 PM Friday night and from 11 AM until 10:30 PM Saturday.