The Ocala Arts Festival is returning to downtown Ocala next month, and the organization running the event is looking for volunteers.
Fine Arts For Ocala (FAFO) will host the 56th installment of the festival in downtown Ocala on Saturday, October 28, and Sunday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The annual event draws thousands of visitors to the streets of downtown Ocala.
During the two-day festival, visitors will be able to view the artwork of over 155 artists from around the country. In addition, local performers will provide live entertainment, and plenty of food trucks will also be set up.
FAFO is currently seeking volunteers to fill various roles on both days of the festival. Those roles include:
- Event setup (ages 18 and up): Helps with all aspects of setting up the festival. Helpers should be prepared to lift, carry, and set up signs, wire standards, student art, banners, chairs, and similar lightweight objects.
- Parking/Barricade Attendant (ages 18 and up): Helps admit artists who have checked in through the road barricade at their assigned location so that the artists can set up their booth, and redirects non-event traffic around the event zone.
- Helpers (ages 18 and up): Helps with all aspects of setting up the festival. Helpers should be prepared to lift, carry, and assist in all the different areas that they are needed.
- Info Kiosk Attendant (middle school students and older): Speaks to the public and answers questions abut the location of event areas, such as the restrooms, food courts, and entertainment areas. Helpers also distribute event brochures to visitors.
- Beer and Wine Tent (ages 21 and up): Helps sell beer and wine to festival guests.
- Helpers and Clean-up (ages 18 and up): Helps with all needs that arise throughout the festival and cleans up around the downtown area by picking up litter.
- Parking Attendant (ages 18 and up): Helps admit visitors to the festival.
- Children’s Art Assistant (ages 18 and up): Works with representatives from the Appleton Museum to provide an art activity for children during the festival.
- Event Breakdown (high school students and older): Helps with all aspects of breaking down and cleaning up after the festival. Helpers should be prepared to lift, carry, and gather signs, banners, chairs, and similar lightweight objects.
“This year we have changed the volunteer process and ask that you sign up for a specific time slot you can commit to and then we’ll assign you a task at check in,” states FAFO on its website.
All volunteers will need to arrive at the volunteer tent, which is located across from Bank Street, 10 minutes prior to their scheduled time to receive a task.
For more information on volunteer opportunities, or to sign up, visit the FAFO Ocala Arts Festival 2023 volunteer signup webpage.
To learn more about the upcoming festival, visit the FAFO Ocala Arts Festival website.