The third annual Art Hullabaloo and Plein Air Paint-Out happen Friday Sept. 18 and Saturday, Sept. 19. Get artsy on Friday with the Plein Aire Paint Out. Registration, coffee and artists’ get-together is from 8 to 8:30 a.m. at 3rd St. Gallery. Maps will be provided to guide artists to numerous locations around Custer County for painting. Saturday’s painting will focus downtown in conjunction with Art Hullabaloo.

Friday night at 7 p.m. at the 3rd St. Gallery, High Country Recycling presents the Trashion Fashion Show and Contest. Enjoy music and refreshments while fun loving and creative contestants vie for cash and prizes with wacky fashions made of recycled materials.

Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., it’s art and music all day throughout downtown Westcliffe. Artists, craftsmen and children of all ages are invited to join the fun in downtown Westcliffe to paint, play, create or just observe a day filled with merriment. Get a bucket of chalk at the 3rd St. Gallery for the Sidewalk-Chalk-Art-Competition, choose a location on a downtown sidewalk and create a masterpiece for a chance to win cash prizes. Visit area businesses and galleries to get vouchers signed for chances to win artwork. Prizes for chalk art and drawings to win art will take place at 3rd St. Gallery at 4:30 p.m. An artist reception will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Art from the two days’ plein aire paintings will be judged and prizes will be awarded.

Saturday see Terra Raye and the Blooming Bush Women, the In Concert Trio, guitarists Johnny Walker, Jack Naff and Barb Saint Amour, and The Pretty Good String Band at different locations around town. Gushikawa will perform her Ceremonial Sword Dance for Peace at the Feed Store Park. The Salida Circus will be in town all day Saturday with a children’s circus workshop at 2 p.m. at the library community room. See artists at work all day with demonstrations, children’s on-hands art table and face painting. A schedule of events and map of participating merchants and galleries will be available the day of the event and at businesses around town.

For more information or questions about the plein aire painting, contact Lorie Batson, 783-9208. For more information about the Trashion Fashion Show, please call 783-2907, visit www.highcountryrecycling.org or www.sangresartguild.org.

– Jacque Keller