Annual Art in Motion to bring arts, culture and family fun to downtown Medicine Hat

More than 5,000 people attended Art in Motion last year, and organizers are advising visitors to plan for parking and transportation.

Free parking will be available at the Towne Square Parking Lot at 603 First Street S.E., the Transit Parkade at 333 Sixth Avenue S.E., the Old Arena at 150 Ash Ave. S.E. and Athletic Park at 1 Birch Ave. S.E.

City Hall at 580 First St. S.E. will have bicycle parking available near Finlay Bridge.

Visitors can also avoid the search for downtown parking by taking Medicine Hat Transit’s Park & Ride service from the Big Marble Go Centre, Medicine Hat College or Medicine Hat Mall.

Organizers recommend using the MHTapp for transit pickup times and route information.

The event is also encouraging people to explore local businesses while they’re downtown, including shops, restaurants and cafes outside the festival area.

The Medicine Hat Public Library will be one of the stops along the route, offering a community art project called Paint a Bookend for the Library.

Alyssa Roussy, the library’s adult and community librarian, says 50 metal bookends have been primed and will be available for people to decorate using acrylic paint, paintbrushes, sponges and acrylic markers supplied by the library.

Participants can take inspiration from favourite stories and genres or from where reading takes them, with the completed bookends eventually displayed in the library’s stacks.

“Let your imagination run free,” Roussy said in a release, while reminding participants to keep their designs family-friendly.

The library’s activity will run on the lawn from noon to about 5 p.m., with giant board games and a ping-pong table available for people waiting to paint.

The bookend project is being held in collaboration with the Esplanade’s Art in Motion and Culture Days programming.

Jessica Bromley, cultural programs co-ordinator at the Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre, said the event is a celebration of the creativity, diversity and community spirit of Medicine Hat.

Bromley says the event would not be possible without the support of local artists, performers, community organizations, vendors and volunteers.

The Art in Motion 2026 event map was created to help visitors navigate the event and see what activities are taking place at each location.

by Jett Schwaier

Annual Art in Motion to bring arts, culture and family fun to downtown Medicine Hat

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