Now in its 16th year, the Upper Minnesota Valley Arts Crawl continues to draw new visitors and generate economic activity in the region. According to a report issued by the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission (UMVRDC), 38% of the visitors in the 2018 Meander were first time participants in the self-guided studio tour – up from 33% in 2018. The 2019 Meander will be held in a five county area stretching from Ortonville to Granite Falls on October 4, 5 & 6. And if sales continue on par with previous years, more than $108,000 of art will be purchased in those three days.
For many of those Meander participants, the first weekend in October is a time to reconnect with family and friends and explore the creativity at work in the small towns and farming communities of the Upper Minnesota Valley region. Surveys of Meander participants show that most people travel in groups of 2 or 3 and they visit an average of 11 studio sites over the course of the weekend. In 2018, 36% of Meander participants identified themselves as living within the 5-county area while 28% came from greater Minnesota (outside the 5-county area), 20% came from the Twin Cities metro area and 16% came from one of 12 different states.
The average Meander customer spent $103 on art and $33 on food and gas during the course of the three-day event. Some of the studios reported having as many as 1,500 visitors.
A free brochure detailing the locations of Meander art studios and events can be obtained by calling 1-866-866-5432. The brochure can also be downloaded at: www.artsmeander.com. More information can also be found on the Meander Facebook page.