Saturday morning it will be out with the old, in with the new. The 2018 version of Sculpture Tour Salina will be unveiled.

The 22 sculptures that have been in Downtown Salina for the past year have come down to make way for a group of new ones, which will be unveiled simultaneously on Saturday, May 5th.

Penny Bettles from Salina Downtown tells KSAL News this year there will be 19 new sculptures, from artists in 12 states.

The kickoff of the walking sculpture tour, which is now in its 8th year, will be highlighted by roving entertainment, popcorn, snow cones, and face painting.

The tour will be a little different this year. Because of construction on Santa Fe, there will be no sculptures in the work area between Mulberry and Walnut. Instead, those sculptures will be located on a two-block section of Iron Avenue, between Fifth Street and Seventh Street.

While taking the tour, you can vote for the “people’s choice” favorite. Sculpture Tour Salina ballots can be found downtown near the crosswalks and deposited in one of six marked ballot boxes. Voting closes December 31, 2018.

The 2017 People’s Choice winner was “Picasso’s Violin” by Jodie Bliss It was located in the 100 Block of South Santa Fe. “Picasso’s Violin” will go on permanent display outside the Salina Innovation Foundation.

Other than purchasing the People’s Choice winner, Sculpture Tour Salina is entirely privately funded. Multiple sculptures are temporarily displayed in the downtown area for a year.

Previous People’s Choice Award winners include:

• 2011 – “Watch Dog” by Louise Peterson; On display in Oakdale Park Sculpture Garden
• 2012 – “Sweet Kisses” by Marianne Caroselli; On display in Oakdale Park Sculpture Garden
• 2013 – “Farmer” by Lawrence Starck; On display in Campbell Plaza, Downtown
• 2014 – “Next Up” by James Haire; On display at the Kansas Wesleyan University Tennis Courts
• 2015 – “Daughters of Peace” by Benjamin Victor; on display inside the Salina City / County Building
• 2016 – “Slim”  by Dale Lewis; on display at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center
• 2017 – “Picasso’s Violin” by Jodie Bliss; will go on display at the Salina Innovation Foundation

Each sculpture is for sale, with the City of Salina purchasing the People’s Choice winner for permanent display.

Private businesses have a history of purchasing some of the sculptures. Most recently Bennington State Bank purchased “Eggcited”, which depicts Humpty Dumpty sitting on a stack of books. “Eggcited”, which has been touring area grade schools, will go on permanent display in the children’s department at the Salina Public Library.