One of Downtown South Bend’s largest annual events takes place Saturday, despite a rainy forecast. Art Beat will feature more than 600 visual artists, performers and food vendors along the Jefferson Bridge and East Bank Village.
So far, the event is expected to take place, as scheduled, according to Downtown South Bend Executive Director Willow Wetherall. “Obviously, we’re in close communication with area meteorologists, and if the situation changes, we may make a different decision,” Wetherall said Friday.
Wetherall said the artists wanted Art Beat to go on. She said there will be plenty of covered spaces where people can stay dry.
"There are businesses and the Howard Park Event Center," Wetherall noted. "We’ve got large tents, as well, so there’s definitely a lot of spots where people can duck in to get out of the rain for a few minutes."
Art Beat is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday.
Wetherall said Art Beat has attracted upwards of 20,000 visitors in the past, and she’s consistently blown away by the area’s talent. “We like to think of it as South Bend’s happiest festival, and it’s just fantastic to work with all of our arts organization partners, our city partners and celebrate the people who bring so much creativity and vibrancy to our region,” she added.
Drivers through the downtown area can expect Jefferson to be closed between Martin Luther King and St. Louis Boulevards, from Friday evening through Saturday night.
