KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Art, community and a riverside setting will once again come together this weekend as Art in the Park returns to Ashuelot River Park in Keene for its 68th year.

Monadnock Area Artists’ Association (MAAA) President Ruth Sterling discussed the longtime event during an appearance Wednesday morning on WKBK Radio’s Good Morning with Dan Mitchell, previewing what visitors can expect when the annual art show runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

More than 80 artists are expected to fill the park with tents showcasing work in a wide range of mediums, including oil, watercolor, pastels, mixed media, sculpture, photography, digital media, acrylic, gouache, charcoal, colored pencil, pen and ink and printmaking. This year’s 83 tents include both returning artists and newcomers.

Sterling said the number of participating artists is roughly even with last year, although there has been a shift in where exhibitors are coming from.

“We’re seeing a few less out-of-town artists this year, and a few new in-area artists,” she said, noting artists from Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island appear to be less numerous this year. She suggested higher gas costs could be one factor.

The event remains free to attend, giving visitors an opportunity to walk through the park, talk directly with artists and purchase artwork.

A major part of Art in the Park is its juried competition. Judging begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, with judges evaluating artists according to their medium. Rather than selecting a single favorite piece, judges consider an artist’s entire body of work displayed in the tent.

Prizes are awarded in each category, an aspect of the show that Sterling said participating artists particularly appreciate. One last-minute change to the judging lineup came when oil judge Charlie Hunter of Bellows Falls had to cancel after becoming ill.

Sterling also highlighted mixed media as one of the show’s particularly interesting categories, with artists incorporating materials and techniques including wax, encaustic, fabric, glass and sea stones.

“Mixed media is a really interesting thing to experience live at Art in the Park,” she said.

The weekend will also include live music from Chris Fox from 2 to 3:30 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Live entertainment has become part of the event in recent years and adds another dimension to the riverside setting.

Food offerings are also expanding this year. Keene Montessori School will operate a cooked-food concession near the bridge, bringing back cheeseburgers and other fare that had previously been offered by Interact before a four-year absence. Frisky Cow will also return with gelato.

Keene Montessori students will also have an art exhibit at the event, adding another generation of artists to a show that includes exhibitors ranging from longtime professionals to very young creators.

The event’s annual raffle will once again help fund scholarships for area high school students pursuing art studies. Raffle tickets are available at the MAAA central tent for three for $10 or $5 each. Participating artists identify raffle pieces with “Win me” signs, and a winner is selected at 3 p.m. each day.

Tickets purchased Saturday remain eligible for Sunday’s drawing, and credit cards can be used to purchase raffle tickets, an option introduced last year.

The MAAA awarded two $2,000 scholarships this year — one to a Keene High School student and one to a Monadnock Regional High School student. Sterling said the association is also working to maintain a connection with scholarship recipients as they continue their education.

“We are trying to keep up with who receives the scholarships,” Sterling said, noting that a new question was added to this year’s application asking recipients to provide an update after their first semester.

Along with the individual artist tents, the MAAA central tents will feature work from more than a dozen member artists, an exhibit by high school students and information about the association and its year-round gallery at Syd’s. Saint-Gaudens will also have a tent sharing information about the nearby historic art site in Cornish, while the City of Keene will be on hand to talk with residents about ideas for the use of green space.

While some elements of Art in the Park continue to evolve, Sterling said the community atmosphere remains one of the event’s defining features.

“The whole community comes out. You see people you haven’t seen since last year.”

Art in the Park is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, and Sunday, Sept. 6, at Ashuelot River Park. Admission and parking are free. More information is available at MonadnockAreaArtists.org.

Listen to the full interview: