8th annual ManAfest to bring art, music and community to downtown Mansfield

MANSFIELD — ManAfest has grown into a downtown Mansfield gathering reaching well beyond city limits.

Artists and performers from near and far will join community members for the eighth annual festival Sept. 19.

The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fourth Street in front of Richland Academy and at 101 Tea Company.

Victoria Hoefler, event coordinator and local artist, said visitors can expect the usual artists and vendors selling all kinds of things, along with musicians and performers at both Richland Academy and 101 Tea Company.

This year, ManAfest will also feature chalk mural artists.

One couple is traveling from out of state to participate in the festival. Hoefler said the North Carolina couple is connected with the Columbus Chalk Artists Guild. 

“We put out a call for chalk artists through them [Columbus Chalk Artists Guild] and that is how they found the information,” Hoefler said. “They like to travel across the country following the warm weather, I guess. So, they got their whole season planned out with different festivals.”

Hoefler asked the couple and other artists to consider creating work around the “Freedom 250” theme, although the theme is not mandatory.

(Story continues below. Photos from previous years at ManAfest. Credit: Richland Source file photos)

Event brings the community together

ManAfest has changed over the years, including changes brought on by the Main Street Corridor Improvement Project that led organizers to move the festival.

Hoefler said they were not sure they would hold the festival last year, but people asked them to continue it on a smaller scale.

ManAfest began as the Mansfield Arts Festival, the brainchild of the Richland Community Development Group Arts and Culture Sector.

When Hoefler took over the festival, it was moved to the square. Organizers later returned it to a smaller version of the festival’s earlier format, which began near the carousel.

The festival will include the Mansfield Shakespeare Company and local authors reading from their books. Hoefler said the author readings started a couple of years ago and people seem to like them.

Performers this year include Najee Rawls, Jody Odom Jr., Tao Bridge, Frank Medley, Karyn Wade (GrayOwl) and Rob Hemmick, a local piano player and composer.

Music will also take place at both 101 Tea Company and Richland Academy.

The festival will include Stellar Robotics, a local nonprofit returning for its second year. Hoefler said the group hopes to build its membership, especially among younger people. Visitors can expect to see robots roaming around.

“The Arts Festival is one where if it’s your first festival, it allows you to start out small and allows you to put your feet in the water, see what people like, what they don’t,” Hoefler said. “It’s just a good experience for the first-time artists.”

“We open the doors to anyone. We do not judge you,” she added.

A full day of activities for downtown is planned

ManAfest will be part of a larger day of events in downtown Mansfield.

The carousel will have events, Phoenix will host Oktoberfest with kilts and lederhosen and the Secret City Tour will take place. Hoefler referred to the collection of events as “fab four and more” with Downtown Mansfield Inc.

We have a little bit of everything that you could find in a bigger city. You don’t have to move to find it.

Victoria Hoefler, event coordinator and local artist

“There’s a little bit of something for everyone,” Hoefler said. “Not only the food trucks, as far as food, but you can go to the restaurants if there’s not something they have that you like.”

Hoefler said the festival’s location also allows people to visit local businesses they might not otherwise think about visiting.

The library will have things for kids, and local nonprofits will also participate.

Organizers obtained selfie stations from the Toledo Museum of Art a few years ago. Hoefler said this year marks the first time they will really have them out, and the stations will be inside Richland Academy.

After ManAfest ends, 101 Tea Company will host an open mic.

At 6 p.m., Mankind Murals, New Creations Gallery and the library will do an event on the mural building and garage. Hoefler said the event will animate what is on the building.

“You can start at the beginning of the day and go all the way through the day in downtown Mansfield,” Hoefler said.

The festival will feature homemade art, homemade soap, baked goods, cookies, bread and more.

Hoefler said the range of events throughout Mansfield shows that people have plenty of opportunities to gather.

“It brings the community together and it shows that when people say there’s nothing to do in Mansfield, there’s plenty to do,” Hoefler said. “We have a little bit of everything that you could find in a bigger city. You don’t have to move to find it.”

Sponsors for ManAfest include MindBodyAlign, Mechanics Bank, the Mansfield Art Sector, RCDG and the Phillips Foundation.