A white squirrel mascot waves to children playing at Fountain Square Park in April 2023 during the inaugural White Squirrel Arts Fest throughout downtown.

A community celebration of art is coming to Bowling Green this weekend with the return of the White Squirrel Arts Fest.

The festival is in its second year and will feature performances, an art and literary vendor fair, youth talent shows, a poetry slam, demonstrations and more throughout several downtown locations.

Ronn Kistler, a member of the festival’s planning committee, said all artists, art forms and ages are invited to the family-friendly event.

“We’re hoping to make this an annual event,” he said. “This festival is for the public and for the many fine artists in the Warren County area. We are also hoping to draw in people who are interested in the arts and these kinds of events from a wider geographical area.”

Kicking off the festivities is a concert at 5 p.m. Friday at the White Squirrel Brewery, featuring Bowling Green Rock Band Academy House Band, Ernie Small Blues Band and The Daddy Sisters, plus visiting acts Swamp Rats and The Atomic Ranch Band led by Bowling Green resident Hugh Trimble.

The family-friendly concert will also include a variety of food trucks as well as beverages available for purchase.

“The major focus is the Saturday street festival at Fountain Square and Circus Square parks,” Kistler said.

Beginning at 10 a.m., Circus Square Park and inside the adjacent Showroom at La Gala will be packed with over 40 art and literary vendors. Food vendors, an author’s reading corner and a performance area will be set up in the park until 5 p.m.

Featured authors include young adult suspense writer Deanese Jameson, Western Kentucky University professor emeritus Dr. Carl Kell and White Squirrel Series author Jan Trabue.

Featured visual, fiber and craft artists include painter David Swan, repurposed glass artist Glenda Hepp, original painted acrylic art by Bob Wetzel, macrame fiber artist Alison Lewandowski, natural stone jewelry by Patty Motsumoto and hand-blown glass by Shane Spickard.

“If you want to buy a present or a book for somebody, you will definitely find it there,” Kistler said.

Student artists and vendors will also be set up at Fountain Square Park and along Capitol Arts Alley.

Three youth talent shows will take place inside The Capitol. The shows will be divided into age groups, with high school performances from 9 to 11 a.m., middle school performances from 1 to 3 p.m. and elementary school performances from 4 to 6 p.m.

Nonprofit-led arts activities will be located along the Heritage Trail and a Historic Shake Rag Walking tour will begin at 10 a.m. at 201 State St.

An adult poetry slam will wrap up the day’s events at 7 p.m. at The Capitol. Wine will be served.

Live musicians will perform at both parks all day on a rotating schedule, as well as various performers in other art forms.

On Sunday, a reading of Kistler’s adaptation of “Enemy of the People” will take place at 1:30 p.m. at the Lisa Rice Library.

The play is a modern adaptation and rewrite of the classic play by Henrik Ibsen, who Kistler said was a “Norwegian playwright ahead of his time.”

“When I first saw the movie adaptation with Steve McQueen, I was blown away, so I thought, ‘why not make it more up-to-date?’ ” Kistler said.

After the reading, Kistler will participate in a talkback with the audience.

– For more information about the White Squirrel Arts Fest, visit whitesquirrelartsfest.com or follow White Squirrel Arts Fest on Facebook.