Announcing the winning design of the Steppin’ Out 2024 T-shirt

Downtown Blacksburg, Inc. presents the 43rd annual Steppin’ Out design!

The Steppin’ Out T-shirt has become an annual collector’s item and the design contest is part of the great Steppin’ Out tradition! The festival committee received more than 30 submissions for 2024 and ultimately chose a design that has nods to Appalachia while also representing Blacksburg’s favorite summer festival. The winning artist Claire Lambert was born in Salem and currently lives in Bassett. She has a bachelor’s degree in art, a masters in elementary education from the University of Virginia and specializes in painting pet portraits. The Steppin’ Out T-shirt will be available for purchase in late-May in downtown stores Fringe Benefit, New River Art & Fiber, Atlantic Union Bank North Main Location, and Blacksburg Hardware, and at the festival information booth in August.

“I reviewed the previous design winners and saw that many had animals and instruments. When creating my design, I wanted to incorporate things that were important to this region. Along with a downtown Blacksburg scene, I picked the possum and a banjo. The possum is one of my favorite native animals and bluegrass is important to the heritage of Southwest Virginia,” she said.

Steppin’ Out will be held Friday and Saturday, Aug. 2 and 3 in Downtown Blacksburg. The two-day festival features over 250 artists and crafts people from throughout the US selling unique handcrafted items; sidewalk sales and festival foods provided by downtown merchants; and three stages of live entertainment! For more information or to be a sponsor or volunteer please visit the Downtown Blacksburg, Inc. website at: www.blacksburgsteppinout.com.