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Art and summer go together in Minot.

The Minot Area Council of the Arts, an umbrella organization for the arts, works with artists to promote year round programming, but summer is a special opportunity to bring people together to enjoy warm days and regional art.

MACA hosts free Arts in the City events with Sundays at Oak Park on scheduled Sundays and Thursdays Downtown on certain Thursdays, starting in June and ending in August.

Tonia Vitko, co-executive director for MACA with Myles Barcomb, said the full schedule of summer events will be released as plans are finalized. However, people can expect performances by the Minot City Band and a number of local musicians and visual artists.

“We always have featured artists at our events. We hope to do more vendors in both locations so maybe have more fun things at the park, too,” Vitko said. “Just emphasizing all ages, family-friendly activities. At all of the events, there’s something to do for everybody.”

Some of the past events have included activities such as bounce houses for the children, axe throwing, food and beverage trucks. This has been in addition to handcraft vendors, live music and art demonstrations.

Vitko stressed that vendor booths feature local artisans who display and sell their handmade creations. MACA also is planning a monthly artisan market at the Carnegie Center for fall.

Vitko added MACA hopes to conduct a food drive at an event this year, possibly working with Souris Valley United Way and its Donation Station to supply local food pantries.

“Just incorporating some more of that community collaboration is kind of a goal,” she said.

MACA also welcomes community members to get involved through volunteering. Volunteers can serve in a variety of ways at the Arts in the City events, from handing out programs to assisting guests who want to make donations.

Another event coordinated through MACA is World Fest, which this year will bring vocal artist Farrah Siraj and her band from Jordan to Minot to provide programming in schools, work with local choirs and offer a free public performance. Siraj will be in MInot from April 20-26, with the public performance on Saturday, April 26.

Siraj has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious platforms, including the United Nations, Nobel Prize Hall, the World Economic Forum, Carnegie Hall, The John F. Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and Lincoln Center in New York. Her music fuses influences of Arabic music, flamenco, jazz, bossa and pop, with lyrics in Arabic, Spanish and English.

She approaches music as a medium for peace and a way to amplify the voices of people around the world who need to be heard, according to her website.

“This is the last World Fest,” Vitko said of MACA’s collaboration with Arts Midwest to bring international artists to Minot.

Barcomb noted the April event will be the sixth and last in a three-year commitment with Arts Midwest. He said MACA is discussing ways to bring music, both local and international, to schools in different ways.

MACA also is launching a new website this year. Among features will be a search tool that lets the user identify a need and link to information on the local artists whose talents can fill the need.

Vitko said it will help promote artists by giving them a page to post profiles and links to their websites. She said it is part of MACA’s interest in developing more opportunities for artists to learn about marketing their works and will help fulfill the organization’s mission of connection and collaboration.