Pre-Festival activities provide an opportunity to learn from visual and performing artists who will be involved in the Festival. Pre-Festival workshops include opportunities for both young people and adults in a variety of artistic disciplines.

2008 offerings include:

Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre at Sunset School

Eulenspeigel Puppet Theatre of West Liberty, Iowa, has a 20-year-plus relationship with the Smoky Hill River Festival and Salina. Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre will provide two days of on-site puppetry training at the Sunset School summer lunch open site (June 11 & 12) working with the Salina Summer Nutrition Coalition. Students will then have the opportunity to perform a full puppet play (The Flea, a Spanish-American folktale) with Eulenspiegel puppeteers on Friday and Saturday (June 13 & 14) at the Smoky Hill River Festival. This workshop is offered free of charge.

When Is It?
Wednesday, June 11 through Saturday, June 14, 2008 - Time to be announced

Where Is It?
Sunset Elementary School & Oakdale Park

For information/registration call 785-309-5770 or e-mail sahc@salina.org

Madonnara Chalk Art/Street Painting

In Italy, around the 16th century, Madonnari artisans graced the pavement near churches and in public squares with chalk drawings of the Madonna. Kansas City Artist, Joan Finn, is a professional Madonnara who creates incredible masterpieces that captivate and inspire.

When Is It?
Thursday, June 12 through Saturday, June 14, 2008 - Time to be announced

Where Is It?
Location to be announced

“Your Car as Canvas”

Observe the transformation of ordinary cars into not-so-ordinary "Daily Driver" Art Cars. Minnesota artists, Kat Corrigan and Jan Elftmann, team up with artist, Erika Nelson, from Lucas, KS. "Holey Circle" is Jan's art-car-in-progress and reflects the Glue-Car approach of attaching multiple objects to create an all-over embellished car. All attached objects relate to the circle. A second car, provided by an enthusiastic community member, will be transformed into a painted and quite un-ordinary art car. You are invited to observe the careful development and transformation of these cars. Both cars will be in progress from Wednesday through Sunday of Festival week.

When Is It?
Wednesday, June 11 through Sunday, June 15, 2008 - Time to be announced

Where Is It?
Location to be announced

Festival Families First

A grassroots way for those who love the Smoky Hill River Festival to help make it even more accessible to families with needs, this program creates an avenue for button donations. The Festival works with several identified Salina service agencies to provide Festival admission buttons to their clients. Give a dollar, give what you can, to give the gift of the Festival to those who might otherwise never experience it!

Donations may be made by check (marked "Festival Families") to: Smoky Hill River Festival, P.O. Box 2181, Salina, KS 67402-2181