Art, activities and amusements abound for kids at the Regatta

WORTHINGTON — The Worthington Windsurfing Regatta and Music Festival has a long history of bringing creativity and imagination to the shore of Lake Okabena in the form of arts and crafts, and that tradition will continue with the 2023 event.

The ArtMobile is returning for the fifth year, and this year it's bringing plenty of paint, sidewalk chalk and hula hoops to the festival, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Third Street and Lake Avenue.

While the exact lineup of free arts and crafts projects isn't yet set in stone, kids and adults alike are invited to rock out at the Regatta by painting rocks.

"A lot of times the adults and kids come together, and the adults help the kids or the kids help the adults," said Gail Holinka, lead artist of the ArtMobile. "We try to be available for kids of all ages, because I think that's only fair."

In the past, grants have allowed guest artists to come, and mosaic murals have been created at previous Regattas.

That could potentially happen again this year, as artists began painting a collaborative turtle mural together at an Arty Party in March, and it has yet to be completed. Its presence at this year's Regatta will depend on whether Holinka gets enough volunteer helpers for the event, though the turtle is destined to eventually replace the previous turtle mural that was irreparably damaged near Sailboard Beach either way.

Kids will also be able to paint on the back of a surfboard, another project that got started at a previous Regatta.

And, as in previous years, Client Community Services Inc. will have carnival-style games in their Kids’ Zone Saturday near the ArtMobile, also at no cost for participants.

"Just come down and bring the kids, and we’ll have some fun activities planned," Holinka said.

To volunteer or donate to the ArtMobile, contact Holinka at (507) 360-4619 or [email protected] . The ArtMobile can also be found at facebook.com/WorthingtonArtmobile .