Sep 25, 2006 By Amanda Clegg 3 min read

Art lovers and the sounds of jazz filled Main Street from North Gallatin Avenue to Pittsburgh Street in downtown Uniontown on Sunday afternoon as the 3rd annual Arts in the City festival wrapped up this year’s festivities. Taking place from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., the festival, hosted by the Downtown Uniontown Business District Authority, featured 64 artists in a variety of mediums and welcomed an estimated 3,000 patrons, Judy Vrabel, acting director of the business authority, said.

“We had some trouble with the wind taking the tents earlier, but by early, late afternoon it was wonderful,” she said of the day. “We had a nice crowd today.”

The crowd thinned during the Steelers game, but the people, many sporting their black and gold, showed up after the game, she added.

Vrabel said the event has grown in its three years. The first Arts in the City welcomed 40 artists, the second 50 and this year 64, she said.

Pat Koosher, Arts in the City commission member, echoed Vrabel about the growth of the festival.

“(The festival) has greatly improved from last year,” she said. “It’s getting bigger and better.”

Vrabel credits word of mouth, the artists and the volunteers for the festival’s success.

“It is getting better. Word is getting out,” she said. “You’re not going to find this caliber of artists even in the city.”

She said the artists came from as far away as North Carolina for the festival.

Potter Susan Hall, originally from Uniontown, made the trip from North Carolina after her father told her about the event.

“We’ve been doing wonderful. We sold everything under the table and as you can see we’re pretty much bare,” Hall said, pointing to the table holding the few remaining pieces of her pottery. “We had a great time. I’ll definitely do it next year.”

Hall wasn’t the only one having a good time.

Sitting in lawn chairs amidst the sweet smells of funnel cake and hot dogs, Nancy Davis, of Uniontown, and her friend Pat Pierno, also of Uniontown, came to the festival for “good times” and jewelry, Davis said, adding that the duo also enjoyed the artwork of Sam Thong, a famous caricature artist at Station Square in Pittsburgh, who sketched caricatures of the two women.

Uniontown residents Tia and Dennis Cropp also enjoyed the fun for the first time this year.

“I think it’s great. I like looking at the booths, the jewelry and the wreaths,” Tia said. “It’s nice to see downtown Uniontown. I remember the days shopping in downtown, going from store to store. It’s nice to see stuff back in town again. It’s nice for the kids to see this.”