Art in the Park draws regional artists to Gateway Park riverfront

Dozens of booths and live performances turned Gateway Park into a riverfront gallery during Art in the Park the weekend of Jan. 10-11. The annual event, hosted by the Yuma Arts Center, invited local and regional artists to exhibit and sell a wide range of work while offering vendors and family-friendly activities for visitors.

Artists displayed everything from painting and sculpture to mixed media and wearable art, with booths arranged to let attendees move through the park and enjoy the Colorado River scenery as they viewed pieces. Live performances punctuated the show, and the event ran Saturday and Sunday with posted hours for each day.

Ana Padilla, Arts & Culture Program Manager for the City of Yuma, said Art in the Park gives artists a different venue to present work outside the Arts Center and provides attendees the chance to enjoy the park and Colorado River scenery while viewing art. That framing makes the festival part cultural showcase and part placemaking exercise, using a prominent public space to broaden access to the arts.

The event matters beyond a weekend of browsing and buying. By programming Gateway Park, a city-managed riverfront asset, the Arts & Culture office signals municipal priorities about public space use and community programming. Events like this can increase visibility for local creatives, offer supplemental income to independent artists, and drive foot traffic to nearby small businesses. They also shape civic conversations about how the city allocates funding and permits for public events, and who benefits from riverfront activation.

For artists, the festival provides sales opportunities and an audience beyond the Arts Center’s walls. For residents, it creates an accessible way to engage with culture without entering a formal venue, lowering barriers for families and people who prefer outdoor settings. For local leaders and voters, turnout and community response to these events can inform decisions about city arts budgets and park programming priorities.

If you missed the show, keep an eye on the Yuma Arts Center and the city’s Arts & Culture calendar for future riverfront activations and recurring events. Our two cents? Take a stroll down to Gateway Park next time, support the artists, enjoy the river view, and bring a neighbor so the city hears clearly that public arts programming matters to the community.