On Wednesday, May 11, the Visual Arts Guild will rise from their Spoelhof basement classrooms (in the ) to host a party for all of campus: The Spring Arts Festival. As tradition dictates, the festival will be held on the last day of classes and include games, live music from local bands, a five-dollar cookout and an exhibition of artwork from many media. The event will take place from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

For the first time in two years, the Spring Arts Festival will be held on Commons Lawn. Rain has forced the festivities indoors to Johnnie’s in previous years.

The theme this year is fruit, which will be portrayed in the official spring Arts Festival t-shirts and posters. There will be exotic-fruit-eating contests (featuring fruits like Durian) and fruit-themed decorations. “We’re super-excited about it,” said both Hannah Abma and Jenny Swim, co-leaders of the Visual Arts Guild and organizers of the Spring Arts Festival.

Calvin students contribute the artwork that will be on display and they have the option of selling it. One of the ceramics classes will be donating their projects for sale to benefit Feed America.

Other fun attractions include things like face painting and stories by the Storytelling Guild.

“It’s really great to look around and see students’ artwork, to see where they’re at and what they’re doing,” said Mag Kim, a member of “Bernelle,” one of the performing bands and an art student. He’s excited to see his fellow students’ artwork, to listen to all the bands and to perform as well.

“This is like the one time that the art department comes above ground and gets out there. And when we’re out there, we’re throwing a huge party. Part of it is an invitation. We want people to come and be a part of the arts and not just come and look, but be involved and interact,” said Swim.