It will be a scavenger hunt of sorts, looking for sixteen new sculptures that will be unveiled in downtown Salina on Saturday.

Penny Bettles, Executive Director of Downtown Salina Inc. tells KSAL News that despite all the road construction and orange cones on Santa Fe Avenue – the 9th Annual Sculpture Tour will not be detoured. “It’s going to be a little bit different this year,” she said.

“Every year we have a map of where the pieces are going. This year we don’t know!”

Work on reshaping Santa Fe continues to move forward through the heart of downtown which in years past has been the home for dozens of art pieces, displayed on the sidewalks, planters and plazas. “It will be a surprise, like a little sculpture tour scavenger hunt of where the pieces are!”

Bettles confirms the the new sculptures will be installed along Santa Fe and Iron.

New this year is a live symposium held on the new plaza just north of Ad Astra Books and Coffee House. Local artist Corey Haden will be welding a metal sculpture from scrap to create a three-dimensional piece.

Corey Haden: photo courtesy Blue Barn Door’s Facebook

Bettles says the artist will use a variety of household items like spoons and forks with a few surprises thrown in to wrap it all together. The 9th Annual Sculpture Tour Salina will begin with the unveiling of the artwork Saturday, May 4th at 11am in downtown Salina along Santa Fe and Iron. The outdoor exhibit runs from May until April of 2020, with the public voting for “The People’s Choice Award.” The winning piece will then be relocated to a permanent site somewhere in Salina. Official ballots can be found at many of the downtown merchants or at the Visit Salina Info trailer located in the Ad Astra parking lot.