Planning is underway for this year’s WoodStarke festival at Wythogan Park.
Event organizer Jacob Lippner says that his team already have a few ideas in mind for WoodStarke 3, “We are going to do the art by the river walk, and we’re going to open that up to every kind of art – the industrial, the clothing making, stuff like that. It’s going to be anything that you make yourself to display it. Also, we’re going to have the music as usual. We’re working on getting the bands all put together.” A car show, as well as games for children are also expected to return this year.
WoodStarke volunteers had their first planning meeting for this year’s event on Tuesday. Lippner says there’s been a good amount of interest from people wanting to help out, “We had nine people that seemed very interested and motivated to get it. Everybody I ask around the county that have been to it before, they’re really interested in getting in started. I had a good outreach, and a lot of good people e-mailing me and going through the WoodStarke [Facebook] page to tell me they weren’t going to make the meeting but they want to be a part of it. So, I’ve got a pretty good number of people, a lot of motivated people, that will bring a lot to the event.”
Organizers have a lot of work to do, before WookStarke 3 can take place this September. Right now, they’re looking for people interested in designing an official logo for this year’s event, to continue the trend of having a unique logo each year. The volunteers are also seeking sponsors for a run/walk and for event t-shirts. However, Lippner says one of their biggest challenges is continuing to promote WoodStarke, to make sure everyone knows about it.
He adds the goal of the event is to bring Starke County closer together. “We want to promote community, bring us back to that small-town community where everybody comes and joins in on something,” he says. “This is absolutely free to come and look at the art and just to bring a different type of atmosphere to this county is what we’re really looking for.”
Anyone interested in helping out with WoodStarke 3 or designing a logo for the event is invited to get in touch with organizers using the WoodStarke Facebook page. The next planning meeting will take place Tuesday at 6 p.m. near the basketball court at Wythogan Park.
WoodStarke 3 will take place Saturday, September 10.
