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Artigras Parade Kicks Off Arts Celebration

Northern Public Radio | By Susan Stephens

Published May 4, 2015 at 12:39 PM CDT

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Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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The Best in Show Artigras trophy

Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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Artigras participants "party arty" post-parade.

Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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Artigras '15, a collaborative arts celebration

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Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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NIU President Doug Baker arrives for Artigras via his favorite transport.

Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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NIU's Latino Resource Center gets in on the parade.

Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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The NIU rugby team mixes sports with art in the Artigras parade.

Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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You can't have a parade without a beat: drumline, Artigras-style.

Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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Master of Artigras Brian Sprague

Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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A Barbed Wire Betty teaches the next generation of Artiers.

Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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The DeKalb Festival Chorus

Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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Carl Nelson / WNIJ

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Carl Nelson / WNIJ

Mix the visual and performing arts with a gorgeous spring afternoon outdoors. Add a lot of color and an evening of music and you've got Artigras.

The art-themed parade is a first for Northern Illinois University and DeKalb. It started in downtown DeKalb Saturday afternoon and made its way to NIU's art building. Post-parade music included concerts by the NIU Steel Band, the university's ukulele ensemble, and the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra.