Arts in Action features sand sculptures, downtown bargains, music and more

PORT ANGELES — The annual Arts in Action festival begins today and runs through Sunday at City Pier and Hollywood Beach.

“It’s designed to be a fun, family event,” said Doc Reiss, member of the Nor’wester Rotary Club, which organizes the event.

It runs from noon to 6 p.m. today, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Events include a three-day sand sculpting competition, a street fair, sidewalk chalk art, live music, car shows, wine tasting, and two car shows.

The street fair will have dozens of artists and vendors selling art, jewelery and other goods.

The live music includes 14 musical acts.

It begins at 2 p.m. today with the band Blackbird and ends at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

The sand sculpting competition is in its sixth year and includes eight artists, three of them from outside the United States.

The chalk art competition is open to anyone, and takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. around downtown Saturday and Sunday.

Ian Morris, a chalk artist from Victoria, will hold free chalk-drawing lessons at the pier today from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Morris will also create chalk art at the pier, which will be available for viewing during sand sculpture viewing as part of Arts in Action.

First Federal will host the children’s section of chalk art on Oak Street on Friday and Saturday.

Adults will decorate the sidewalks in designated areas on Saturday.

All participants should check in at the Port Angeles Downtown Association office, 208 N. Laurel St.

A people’s choice award, chosen by spectators, will be given on Saturday.

Cost to vote for a chalk design is 25 cents a person.

Proceeds will benefit First Step Family Support Center.

The sidewalk chalk event is sponsored by the Port Angeles Downtown Association and Nor’wester Rotary.

To register for lessons, or for more information, phone 360-457-9614.

The wine tasting will be from 3 to 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Red Lion Hotel banquet/conference room, and costs $10 at the door.

Participating wineries are all local and includes: Harbinger Winery, Black Diamond Winery, Camaraderie Cellars, Olympic Cellars Winery and Lost Mountain Winery.

A street rod show will be hosted on Saturday by the Rudell Auto Mall, and the Olympic Peninsula Region Porsche Club of America will have a showing of their vehicles on Sunday.

Both car shows will take place at City Pier.

And then there’s the music:

Arts in Action includes an array of free concerts.

All styles of music will be featured on the City Pier stage, just a few hundred feet where sand sculptors will compete for prizes and other activities across the downtown.

Here is a rundown of the performers on the City Pier stage and the time’s they’re scheduled to perform: