Fifteen years ago, a newbie Tacoma resident ventured onto Sixth Avenue to see what "Art on the Ave" was all about.

"I saw, like, four tables and a couple of people walking around," Claudia Riedener previously told the Weekly Volcano with a chuckle.

This year, as she pokes her head out onto Sixth Avenue, she's likely to see art. Tons of art. And wackiness.

The theme this year is "Back to Art!" And it's truly back. Art on the Ave producer Angela Jossy sent the scoop to the Weekly Volcano World Headquarters. Read up and plan your Sunday, July 14:

6th Avenue Business District's 15th Annual Art on the Ave Festival stands out among the many festivals in Tacoma because it's the chosen playground of the fresh vibrant art and music scene of Tacoma. Truly an all inclusive event, Art on the Ave Festival is attended every year by multiple generations of music and art lovers. Art on the Ave is the largest free art festival in Tacoma. The vision of the Art on the Ave Festival is to draw together the neighborhood and the business district, to see its businesses thrive and to promote the district throughout the entire northwest region. The theme this year is "Back to Art!"

What's new this year?  FREE Festival wide wifi! Smart phone mobile app so you can make your own festival schedule, learn about all the attractions and find all your favorite artists, musicians and activities! Free art lessons and activities! GIANT games you and your friends and family can play like Jenga and Tacomapoly! Live art demonstration by INCREDIBLE artists who will literally change your perception of what the term "local artist" means! Read all about it below:

LIVE ART DEMONSTRATIONS

GLASS:  Museum of Glass Mobile Hot Shop, glass blowing

METAL:  Saign Charlestein, metal sculptor

CLAY:  Patricia Haase, clay sculptor  

SAND:  Brent and Ethan Terry Father and son duo, professional sand sculptors

HIGH TECH: Tacoma FabLab, high-tech art using 3D printers, lasers and other cool stuff

PAINT: Matthew Scott and Michaela Eaves, painters

GRAFFITI: Graffiti Mural by unnamed local graffiti group

ILLUSTRATION:  Nori Retherford, fantasy and wildlife illustrator

CHALK: Steve Platt, professional chalk artist/street painter

Many of these demonstrations will be paired with simplified Hands-On opportunities for festival attendees to try out these different art forms themselves. More information about these tremendous artists and the projects they intend to demonstrate is available by request.  Contact Visual Arts Coordinator: Jackie Casella, jackie.d.fender@gmail.com.

TACOMAPOLY

Picture a game board that is almost as big as a city intersection. The players stand on it and move along the board as they play the game. Players get to roll a giant set of dice and get sent to a real (mock) jail cell.  The spaces on the board are the names of local businesses who are sponsors.  Each game takes only about 15 minutes.  This is interactive and improvisational performance art that showcases Tacoma businesses and raises funds for the 6^th Avenue Business District. The board itself was made from recycled billboard vinyl donated by Clear Channel and illustrated by local artists group CLAW (Cartoonist League of Absurd Washingtonians).  For  more information, contact Angela Jossy at Events@on6thave.com.

GRUB CRAWL

The Grub Crawl Challenge is a fun interactive culinary event held during Art on the Ave. In its second year, this friendly competition between chefs in the Sixth Avenue Business District is a way to bring focus back to the restaurants on Sixth Avenue during Art on the Ave, and do it in a fun, inexpensive way. The Grub Crawl allows festival attendees to experience the cultural diversity and style of cooking on Sixth Ave. Doug Mackey will be the Master of Ceremonies at the Community Stage where the contest will be held.

The Grub?: From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., participating restaurants will serve appetizer size dishes for only $6. In 2012, Asado offered house-made chorizo sausage and marinated beef skewers with Argentine flair, O'Malley's had sliders, Dirty Oscar's had a Turkey drumstick big enough for a caveman, and Six Olives had chicken Caesar lettuce wraps.  Given the culinary talent and creative minds on Sixth Avenue, Grub Crawl dishes for 2013 will not disappoint.  Chefs are keeping their grub crawl dishes a secret for now.

The Crawl Lower prices, portability, and appetizer size portions mean festival attendees cantry food from more than one restaurant without missing any live art or music during the festival. Restaurants will be serving these featured dishes throughout the day. Start at one end of the festival and eat your way from restaurant to restaurant; perfect for traveling with a group of friends or bring the family and share in the fun.

The Challenge?: Participating chefs will create a dish that meets the following criteria and will go head to head with other restaurants in a "blind" contest, the winner to be determined by judges.

Grub Crawl Judging Criteria : 1. represents each restaurant's theme/style?2. uses at least one locally sourced ingredient?3. is easily portable and can be eaten without the need to sit at a table?4. is priced $6?5. artistic flair receives bonus points

For more info about the 6^th Avenue Grub Crawl Please contact Jennifer Johnson, Grub Crawl Organizer, at 253.459.9295 or vendorsaoa@on6thave.com.

LIVE MUSIC

Dirty Oscar's Stage - The Fame Riot, Ben Union, The Dignitaries, Not From Brooklyn, Bandolier, Roswell 

O'Malley's Stage - The Fun Police, Ten Pole Drunk, Kramer, Northslope, Devil on a Leash 

Jazzbones Stage - Nolan Garrett, Big Wheel Stunt Show, The Approach, Randy Hansen, Mighty High, C-leb and Kettle Black and a mysterious national act that is yet to be revealed.

For more information about the entertainment stages, please contact the venues directly.

PIN UP CAR SHOW

In celebration of their first Art on the Ave, 6th Ave Photo Studios is throwing a Car Show and Pin Up event featuring classic cars and hot rods from '72 and before in their parking lot, along with vintage and pin up retailers inside the studio. The official 6th Ave Photo Pin Ups will be on site spreading some cheer, and photographer Vanessa Vancuren will be offering a special Pin Up Photo Promotion exclusively for Art on the Ave. So bring your red lipstick and come prepared to pose! Vendor and Vehicle Registration is free this year only and open until July 1st! For detailed information on the event please visit: http://van716.wix.com/pinupandhotrod or call the studio at 253.503.7644.

6TH AVE TREASURE HUNT

Only $15 entrance includes not only all the fun but your take-home T-shirt and prizes! Pick up your pack early at Studio 6 Ballroom on the day of the event. For more information, contact Natasha Thayer at 6thavebiz@gmail.com or 206-914-2422. 

VOLUNTEERS

Art on the Ave has a lot of fun things for volunteers to get involved in this year and signing up is easier than ever with the online registration form on our website. Visit http://www.artontheave.org and click on "Get Involved" to tell us what you're good at and which volunteer job you're most interested in.