EAST PROVIDENCE — “The Looff on Tour” is the East Providence Arts Council’s answer to COVID-19 restrictions on crowd size still expected to be in place throughout the summer, the organization announced earlier this week.

The festival, rather than its usual singular location at the Crescent Park/Looff Carousel, will instead feature artists of all stripes at different spots around the city. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, Aug. 8, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Rain date is August 15. Admission is free.

This year’s “Looff” will look and feel a little different due to COVID-19 and social distancing, according to the Arts Council. It will be a little like an outdoor art festival — and a little like an open studio tour. Many of the finer details are still in the works, but the idea is to have artists outside their homes or local businesses, displaying their work throughout East Providence.

“We were going to do an Open Studio Tour where local artists open their home studios to the public. The virus stopped that plan and with large gatherings looking like they won’t be happening this summer,” Arts Council chairman Rick Lawson explained. “So (Arts Council vice chair) Jen Cahoon said why not combine the both events. Melissa Spurr, our communications director came up with the slogan, ‘The Looff On Tour.’”

The Arts Council envisions “The Looff on Tour” as a day of exploring the city, of getting to see artists and makers from Rumford to Riverside, of traveling musical acts and enjoying some of the city’s great food and drink options.

The Arts Council is working with some local bands to organize traveling musical acts. Details will be posted at the council’s Facebook page. As for food and drink options, all of “The Looff on Tour” maps will highlight the city’s many delicious options.

If you want to apply, or want to learn more about the Looff on Tour, please visit
https://eastprovidencearts.org/looff-on-tour.

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