At 42, the Penrod Arts Fair may be approaching middle age, but like its contemporaries -- Cindy Crawford, Halle Berry and Patrick Dempsey, for example -- it's holding up quite nicely, thank you very much.

Up to 350 artists -- more than half of whom are from outside Indiana -- bring acrylic and watercolor artwork, jewelry, kites, pottery and more to the Indianapolis Museum of Art's grounds.

Dave McGimpsey, the Penrod Arts Fair chairman, offers these six tips to navigating the event.

• Arrive early. Up to 40,000 shoppers will be browsing Penrod's booths during the day. If you want the best shot at the goodies, get there by 9.a.m. Even better, park your car at one of six locations (see box) and hop on the free shuttle.

• Map it out. The Art Fair program contains a newly designed map for 2008, helping to sketch out a plan of attack.

• Wear comfortable shoes. You'll be walking on 26 acres of the IMA's Lilly Estate.

• Pack sunscreen. "Penrod day has a lot of summer sunshine," McGimpsey says. "We've been very fortunate to have good weather over the years."

• Channel your inner Food Network star. From wine to popcorn to pizza, conduct your own taste test of local eateries at 21 food and drink booths.

• Let the kids loose. Penrod's children's area keeps little ones occupied with storytelling, pottery, face painting, an instrument petting zoo and more.

• Get a case of the blues. The Blues Tent features performances by Gordon Bonham, Governor Davis, Dave Morgan, Allen Stratyner and others.

• Get a discount on eternal life. The IMA's exhibit "To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures from the Brooklyn Museum," will be open during Penrod. Present your Penrod ticket stub and pay $6 instead of $12.

- By Julie Cope Saetre / Star correspondent

Penrod Arts Fair

Where: Indianapolis Museum of Art, 4000 Michigan Road.

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Park and Ride: Free at Clowes Hall, 4602 Sunset Ave., or the Irwin Library, 4600 Sunset Ave., both at Butler University; the Major Taylor Velodrome, 3649 Cold Spring Road; Bertha Ross Park, 3700 N. Clifton St.; Crown Hill Cemetery, 700 W. 38th St.; or the International School of Indiana, 4330 Michigan Road. Buses run from 8.a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tickets: $15 at the gate; $12 in advance at participating Marsh Supermarkets, The National Bank of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, The Children's Museum, Borders Books and Hubbard & Cravens. Free for kids 10 and younger, with an adult.