SUNY Potsdam festival brings illuminated art, music and drone show to campus

SUNY Potsdam’s LoKo Arts Festival of Lights brought families and college students to campus Saturday, Oct. 24, for an evening of illuminated art, hands-on activities, live music and a drone show. The free event was open to people of all ages.

Displays were set up in the Academic Quad, Satterlee Hall and Minerva Plaza. Regional artists presented works including illuminated jellyfish, repurposed-glass artwork and interactive displays using color and light. Liza Paige, a 2012 SUNY Potsdam graduate, debuted “Night Vision,” an installation built around an upcycled desk scene.

Children who took part in the North Country Children’s Museum’s Glow-in-the-Dark Art Program also contributed artwork. The rock cover band SFM performed, and a drone show set to music from the Crane School of Music archives closed the program.

The festival was part of LoKo Arts’ 15th anniversary year, themed “Illumination.” It also served as a public event during the launch of SUNY Potsdam’s “Deeply Rooted, Future Focused: The Campaign for Potsdam.” LoKo Arts was founded in 2012 and now operates year-round.

The event included artists and performers connected with the North Country, including SLC Arts, the North Country Children’s Museum, SFM and the Crane School of Music. Parking was available in Lots 1, 11 and 12.

LoKo Arts’ next festival is scheduled for April 27 through May 2, 2027. Questions can be directed to LoKo Arts coordinator Haley Billings at billinhe@potsdam.edu or (315) 267-3763. More information is available on SUNY Potsdam’s Festival of Lights page and the LoKo Arts webpage.