Community, Scene & Heard

Art, cars, dancing this weekend in Drain

DRAIN — It’s all about community, according to Ame Beard.

“After moving here from Eugene and being on the fair board a couple years, I asked myself how we can contribute and utilize my background and skills, ” said Beard, who is the organizer for the Art Car Fire Fest in Drain as well as the principal for Springfield’s Academy of Arts & Academics. 

The Art Car Fire Fest, now in its sixth year, is under the umbrella of the North Douglas County Fair, which is the longest running fair in the state. It’s a family friendly event that showcases up to 15 art cars, visual arts, and fire dancing. 

“We’re making fire art and projection art more accessible to the public because those aren’t things we see often.”

The painting starts on Friday night and continues until dark. The masterpiece is finished and shown off on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the North Douglas County Fair parade. Otherwise, they’ll be parked at the North Douglas County Fairgrounds.

On Saturday, there are live bands, food booths, vendors, kid games, inflatables, fine art and photography exhibits, bands, karaoke, demonstrations, and magicians. 

Attractions include food booths, a pie auction, an ice cream parlor, a raffle, and a corn hole competition. There are also free art classes and free fire spinning classes.

“Part of this event is about making the distance between artists and the public obsolete,” Beard said. “You can walk around and talk to artists who are creating, so there isn’t that distance like at a show. People talk to each other about making art.”

In the evening starting at 8:30 pm, there will be performing artists, belly dancers and a contortionist. After 9 pm when it is darker, the show features fire dancers, aerialists from Portland based company BrèNar Productions, projection mapping, a fire show and music. 

“The Art Car Fire Fest embodies the joy of artistic expression in a welcoming community,” said fire-dancing belly dance performer Mikkala Sworden, who performs under the stage name “Siobhan.” At this year’s festival, Sworden will be performing a belly dance act that includes swords and fire with House Vipersden from Belly Dance Eugene Studio.

If you are apprehensive about fire in July after the last couple years of wildfires, rest assured, the fire department will be there. 

“You don’t see fire things going on very often in July. We have a close relationship with the fire department, They come to our show…. We are allowed to do this because we have high safety standards,” Beard said, noting that performers are not allowed to light up without someone from the fire department present.

Sarina Dorie is the arts writer for The Chronicle.

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