On Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April 24, art will be in the spotlight in downtown Mount Joy. Main Street Mount Joy will host the third annual Festival of the Arts from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

"This is a free, walkable, family-friendly art festival," said Dave Schell, executive director of Main Street Mount Joy. "We will have artists located inside businesses along Main Street, and a map will be provided for people to use to walk from space to space."

Artwork displayed will include painting, photography, ceramics, stained glass, wood and jewelry. Artists will be on site with their artwork, and art will be for sale. "Artists will be present at their locations both days, so you are free to use both days to walk the event," Schell said.

He noted that the festival helps to spotlight both the artists and the businesses who call Mount Joy home. "This event is a way to introduce our community to local, talented artists and allow the artists to display their work," he remarked. "While people are downtown looking over the art, they can also be discovering new businesses they haven't visited before. Some artists have not displayed their artwork before, so this can be their first time taking the step to publicly display their artwork."

Approximately 10 businesses will host artists for the festival, with some having room for more than one artist, Schell noted.

The Festival of the Arts is an easy way to view art and meet the artists in a casual setting, he explained. "If you are curious about the local art scene or are interested in learning more about art, this show is a very comfortable way of viewing art and being able to ask artists questions about their work," he said. "This is a great way to introduce children to art, kickstart the imaginative process within yourself or find someone to create something custom for you."

For more information on the Festival of the Arts, including the latest map and photos of work in the show, follow Main Street Mount Joy on Facebook.