The 50th anniversary of the Arts and Crafts Festival is in Columbus Circle this weekend. It is the first downtown festival since 2019. Typically, more than 50,000 visitors check out the art.

There are about 130 vendors coming from across the country and one who made it across the border from Canada. More than half have never been to the festival here.

“We are super excited to be able to showcase everything that they have to offer,” said Alice Maggiore, the communications director for the Downtown Committee. “I know I get a lot of my holiday shopping done here at the arts and crafts fest. There are so many unique items from woodworking to ceramics to photography, painting, digital art. It’s all here.”

In addition to physical art, there will be strolling musicians and street entertainers. Of course, there will be refreshments, too, contributing to the party-like atmosphere.

“Downtown is where everyone is welcome and where the community comes together, so it’s important to have festivals like this to be able to see people bring them back get together and celebrate,” said Maggiore.

If you are headed down to the festival, there are a lot of road closures in the area. Montgomery Street is closed from East Fayette Street to Madison Street. East Jefferson and East Onondaga streets are closed from South Warren to South State streets.

They are closed from 6 a.m. in the morning until 9 p.m. at night.