The gears are moving for the fifth annual Austin ArtWorks Festival.

The festival, which will take place Aug. 27 and 28, will feature more than 35 artists, many authors and musicians, and more.

“It’s like, the event in Austin,” ArtWorks committee member Peggy Keener said during a press conference Thursday.

The featured artist this year will be Mary Plaster of Duluth, a mixed-media artist, art facilitator and creative coach. She creates large lightweight sculptures, masks and giant puppets which are suitable for conferences, demonstrations, parades and other gatherings. She also does paintings/icons/prints, murals, photography, costumes and bead jewelry.

At least three authors will attend the festival, with readings scheduled throughout the event, including Grant Blackwood, David Housewright and Sarah Stonich.

Though the musicians have not been officially booked, organizer Jennie Knoebel confirmed the annual Saturday night concert will be held at the Historic Paramount Theatre this year instead of Marcusen Park.

Last year the main concert was canceled due to thunderstorms after a brief performance by the Austin High School Jazz Band, yet the two acts played at Dusty’s Lounge. The move will also highlight the Paramount, which Austin Area Commission for the Arts organizers hope to expand.

“We will transform the Paramount as best we can to make it a little different than a usual event there,” Knoebel said. “We will be adding some dance floor space and then add a beer garden outside, so that way people can get both the indoor and outdoor experience.”

Committee member Bonnie Rietz encouraged people to come to the festival this year, whether it’s someone’s first-time experience or a fifth-year veteran.

“If you’ve not come before, it’ll just blow your mind,” she said. “It’s so fun, when you combine music and the authors and the artists, and food. And then if you’ve been there before, we work really hard at adding, changing, making it better to make it really interesting and fun.”

The festival could spend its last year at the downtown Austin Municipal Plant. The city of Austin and Vision 2020 are in negotiations for the city to acquire the plant for the proposed Austin Community Recreation Center. However, the festival’s future location is uncertain, as Vision 2020 leaders plan to preserve to turbine room and are open to keeping subsequent festivals at the site, but it’s unclear if that will happen.

“It might be the last time it’s at the power plant,” Knoebel said. “So this might be your last chance to see it in its original location.”

Several large donations were made to help this year’s ArtWorks Festival, including donations from The Hormel Foundation, Mayo Clinic Health System — Albert Lea and Austin, and KMSU/KMSK The Maverick, the radio station of Minnesota State University, Mankato, which donated money for the bands and will emcee the event, as well as promote it in the weeks leading up to it.

The festival will feature more family activities this year, and organizers also hope to focus more events in downtown Austin. There will also be a lot of food available, and coffee all day. Organizers are also trying to make the festival more welcoming for everyone in the community.

“We’re trying to do some efforts at making the festival more welcoming to our entire community,” Knoebel said. “So we’re looking at adding signage in Spanish and Karen.”

Rietz hopes when people come to the ArtWorks Festival, they get a sense of community pride and excitement for the festival. While past years have had both warm and chilly weather, she hopes for another beautiful evening to bring people out to enjoy the concerts and the talent showcased at the festival.

“When we started five years ago it was two days, and even then we were thinking, ‘Should it be one day, should it be two,’” Reitz said. “ … Well now five years later, its an 11-day [event].”

To volunteer at the festival, visit austinareaarts.org and fill out an application. The deadline to apply for an artist or author spot is May 1, and artists can visit austinareaarts.org/apply or find the ArtWorks Festival at application.org.

2016 Austin ArtWorks Festival Week

•Friday, Aug. 19: Matchbox Children’s Theatre at Historic Paramount Theatre

•Saturday, Aug. 20: Matchbox Children’s Theatre at Historic Paramount Theatre

•Sunday, Aug. 21: Matchbox Children’s Theatre at Historic Paramount Theatre

•Monday, Aug. 22: ‘Let’s Color’ at Austin ArtWorks Center

•Tuesday, Aug. 23: Sena Ehrhardt at Hormel Historic Home

•Wednesday, Aug. 24: Minnesota Sings with Bret Hesla at Veteran’s Pavilion

•Thursday, Aug. 25: James Wegner Gallery Opening at Austin ArtWorks Center

•Friday, Aug. 26: Welcome Reception at Hormel Historic Home

•Saturday, Aug. 27: Austin ArtWorks Festival at Historic Downtown Power Plant and concert at Historic Paramount Theatre

•Sunday, Aug. 28: Austin ArtWorks Festival at Historic Downtown Power Plant