FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 5, 2024
Contact: Dr. Mae Gilliland Wright
Telephone: 309-258-1327
E-mail: [email protected]
Ignite Peoria:
Arts and Makers Fest Returns to the Peoria Civic Center with Car Show
Saturday, August 10 | 9am – 5pm
Free Admission · Free Parking
Peoria, IL – ArtsPartners of Central Illinois is pleased to present Ignite Peoria, central Illinois’s premiere arts and makers fest, at the Peoria Civic Center on Saturday, August 10 from 9am to 5pm. The one-day festival is free to the public and showcases hundreds of local makers, musicians, artists, innovators, dancers, and actors in one STEAM-inspired, interactive day of fun and learning that is perfect for the whole family.
Returning to Ignite Peoria again will be the All or Nothing Kustom Car and Bike Show.
“Ignite Peoria is a day like no other! We are thrilled to unite so many talented individuals and organizations from our region’s creative sector,” notes executive director Dr. Mae Gilliland Wright. “Attendees can expect to experience something exciting, inspiring, and new. Join us for this extraordinary celebration and witness the innovative spirit of Greater Peoria’s artists, performers, and creators.”
Located inside the Peoria Civic Center’s Exhibition Halls, the event features interactive booths and workshops, 2 performance stages, Fashion Ignite, and 40,000 square feet of vehicle exhibit space, providing a full day of free, immersive arts, innovation, and makers experiences for attendees.
Mary Jo Papich, Ignite Committee Chair, states: “Ignite Peoria is the best taste of the arts anywhere! Bring your families and let them experience the fun and value of music, art, drama, dance, fashion, robotics, cars, and more. Come spark your creativity!”
All or Nothing co-hosts Darius Donaldson and Farai Kasambira agree, adding: “This year, All or Nothing 9 brings back the best collection of custom cars, bakes, and trucks to the Peoria Civic Center and Ignite Peoria. Visit aonshow.com to enter your custom vehicle.”
The Ignite Peoria Main Stage will feature performances from local performing arts organizations. The Follow Your Arts Corridor will offer a range of interactive arts activities, demonstrations, and experiences offered by area artists and organizations. The Launchpad is a smaller stage launching the next phase of performance in the Greater Peoria area. The space will have an open mic setup and the public is invited to bring their acoustic instruments to perform or share spoken word. Workshops will also be offered.
Midwest Makerfest will be located in Exhibit Hall C and will feature DIY projects, robots, 3D printing, robotics, resin casting, shape memory alloy demonstrations, cosplay, engineering and coding games, displays, and more.
Fashion Ignite will feature fashion photoshoot setups with professional models, make-up artists, hairdressers and photographers. It is an exciting, multi-faceted runway show full of performances featuring new, refreshing, and stylistic looks from their ultra talented designers.
Sensory Ignite is a special area of the festival designed to gently spark creativity, serving attendees with sensory sensitivities and special needs. Sensory Ignite is equipped with an adult changing room and a quiet room to support the needs of attendees.
The All or Nothing Kustom Car and Bike Show, now in its eighth year, features some of the best vehicles in the country. The focus of the show is “cars as art,” and participants will be competing for awards — including the ArtsPartners Award for the vehicle that best displays artistic excellence.
A full schedule of performances and workshops will soon be available at ignitepeoria.com, along with complete festival details and an interactive map.
Admission to Ignite Peoria is free to the public with support from the following: Community Foundation of Central Illinois, City of Peoria, Peoria Civic Center – SMG, Morton Industries, OSF Steam, Miller, Hall & Triggs and Joshua D. Herman, All or Nothing Kustom Car and Bike Show, Scherer Mazda, and from a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.
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ArtsPartners of Central Illinois promotes the arts as a vital component of central Illinois’ cultural and economic development. Founded in 1999, ArtsPartners of Central Illinois, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to build awareness and strengthen the arts for the economic and cultural enrichment of central Illinois.