For me springtime in Birmingham means beautiful weather, colorful flowers, and Magic City Art Connection. Even before I dabbled in art, I enjoyed wandering among the artists, soaking in all the creativity in the air (floating alongside the intoxicating scent of funnel cakes). In fact, it was at a Magic City Art Connection that I rediscovered block printmaking and got inspired to explore it again.

The 25^th edition of the city’s biggest art festival is this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Linn Park downtown. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, it’s free, and it’s a vibrant event you really shouldn’t skip. More than 200 artists from around the city, state, and country will be scattered throughout the park, showing the magic they’ve made using paint, watercolor, pencils, ink, wood, fiber, metal, and who knows what else. You don’t have to buy anything, but I guarantee you’ll see something you’ll like—and perhaps something to spark your own artistic ideas.

One of the delights of Magic City Art Connection is the Imagination Festival for kids. Even if you don’t have kids, be sure to walk through that little wonderland of random creativity, where you might see simple prints and finger paintings hanging on strings in the breeze or surprising (and surprisingly big) sculptures made out of plastic containers—it changes every year. To me children’s work is some of the best and most pure abstract art, so it’s fun to see what they’ve come up with this time—and watch them discover the joy of making art.

And of course that’s not all there is to the festival. You’ll find adult art workshops, live music, and the Corks & Chefs tent (which, for a fee, enables you to sample food and wine from some of the city’s best restaurants). Between that and a sunny sky (which I’m hoping we’ll see this weekend), you’ve got a day in Birmingham that’s tough to beat.