With the weekend on the horizon and the start of fall next week the annual Joplin Arts festival is this weekend. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.

The two day event taking place this Friday and Saturday at the Joplin Empire Market at 931 E. Fourth Street in Joplin is now in its 8th year.

This year the festival will feature 30 artists and seven live musical groups, plus vintage swing dancers, will perform in the market courtyard on Third Street behind the main building throughout the festival. Food will also be available for purchase by market vendors and food trucks, selections will include barbecue, chicken and waffles, Thai cuisine, sandwiches, gourmet hot dogs, and a variety of drinks.

This year also features a communal art piece – “Mended Hearts.” Festival patrons are invited to create hearts from a variety of repurposed materials and include a handwritten letter expressing their hopes of healing the world within. New to this year’s festival are two scholarship opportunities: a Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Scholarship, as well as an MSSU Art Major Scholarship.

Waiving all festival fees and offering cash stipends to assist with other festival-related costs, the scholarships are meant to encourage greater accessibility and inclusion. The 8th Annual Joplin Arts Fest will be held this Friday from 5-9pm and Saturday from 10am-3pm at the Joplin Empire Market.