This is a community that creates.

Fields surrounding Powell produce a bounty of crops, the fruits of local growers’ hard work and dedication. Along with agriculture, our area is home to many talented artists who create a variety of art — paintings, sculptures, photography, music and more.

This weekend, Powell will host the inaugural Powell Arts Festival celebrating local artwork that enriches our community.

“Art asks us to look up and look again at what we are about,” said Shelby Wetzel, Plaza Diane board vice president. “Art helps us see those things that may have become common or invisible in a new, perhaps more meaningful way.”

We encourage you to see what local artists are creating.

Throughout this week, folks watch the creative process firsthand as painters set up easels in the downtown area during the plein aire paint out.

The Arts Festival Saturday is chock-full of activities at Plaza Diane beginning at noon and lasting through 11 p.m. The event features art booths, live entertainment, a reception for the plein aire artists, food trucks and a street dance.

Downtown merchants will present local art and entertainment in their businesses from 4-6 p.m. Saturday during an Art Walk in conjunction with the Powell Arts Festival. For a full list of participating businesses, see Page 3.

Organizers expect the Arts Festival to become an annual event. With the many talented artists who reside here, we can see great potential for future years.

Also this weekend, the Smithsonian’s exhibit “Key Ingredients: America By Food” opens at Homesteader Museum.

The exhibit is the culmination of months of food-related events in Powell. Through images, illustrations and artifacts, the exhibit examines the ways food cultivates a sense of community. Food brings people together, whether in a home, restaurant or coffee shop. We’ve seen how Key Ingredients events have already nourished our community, and look forward to future programs this fall. The exhibit remains on display at Homesteader Museum through Oct. 25.

This weekend’s events are important steps along a path toward expanding Powell’s reputation as a city of the arts, as some visionary proponents have advocated for years.