SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) — The 50th annual Mattoon Street Arts Festival took place this weekend, and for decades this arts and crafts fair has served as a cultural melting pot for local artists.
“This is like, a staple of Springfield, this thing’s been around forever,” said one Springfield Resident.
The festival has run for 50-years now on Mattoon Street, an area known for its beautiful, historical Victorian houses. The area fills up with more vendors and visitors each year and has grown into the longest-running arts and crafts fair in the Pioneer Valley.
Local artist Jasper Mccoy has been participating in the festival for the past three years now.
He is also the Executive Director of Love Art Collective and tells 22News about how artistic expression provides an outlet. “There are these new people searching for something, and we know after COVID, there are a lot of people looking to grasp onto something that’s real to them. Art is one of those.”
And, it’s not just one form of art. All kinds of works can be found here, from paintings and woodworks, to pottery and prints. The hundreds of visitors have a seemingly endless display of creations to admire.
“You see a piece of art that resonates with you, it resonates with a lot of other people too, so you really start to build relationships off of that. And there’s so many different types of art that, there’s so many different ways to connect. I think that really appeals to a lot of people,” expressed Springfield resident Dan Frye.