Mark your calendars art fans because the 36th annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival, presented by PNC Bank, will soon return to Downtown Fort Worth on April 20-23. This year’s always-free-to-attend event will showcase 215 jury-selected visual artists, live music on two stages, authentic local cuisine, a family-friendly “TCC Makers Zone,” craft beer, wine tastings, and more, across 18 square blocks.
This year, the outdoor gallery on Main Street, will feature 215 artists who were hand-selected to exhibit their work from nearly 1,000 applications. An estimated $4 million worth of art is expected to be sold from artists representing 15 artistic media, including sculpture, painting, photography, wood, glass, jewelry, metalwork, printmaking, mixed media, and more.
Among the artists appearing this year, include last year’s Best of Show-winner Karen Libecap (painting), Best Emerging Artist Jeribai Andrew-jaja (drawing), and Merit Award-winners Richard Wilson (drawing), Adam Crowell (wood), James Pearce (wood), Kina Crow (mixed media), Steven & Beth Radtke (mixed media), Marge Margulies (ceramics), and Robin Lauersdorf (drawing), according to a release. In addition, nearly 30 artists hailing from Tarrant County were selected to exhibit at this festival, including Anne Cubbage, Christopher Curtis, Thomas Diel, Sarah Murphy, Ralinda Owens, Pamela Summers, Tyler Wagner, and more.Performers that range from southern rock bands to Tejano vocalists will showcase their talents on one of four different stages. Headliners include New Orleans’ funk & RB quintet Galactic with special guest Anjelika Jelly Joseph, southern rock band Them Dirty Roses, Harlem-based blues artist King Soloman Hicks, alternative roots rock artist Bones Owens, jazz vocalist Tatiana “LadyMay” Mayfield, 80s rock band DadRock, Tejano powerhouse vocalist Monica Saldivar, Fort Worth’s favorite cover band Poo Live Crew, and more.
Besides art and music, this fest is all set to feature an unparalleled culinary experience, showcasing a range of tantalizing dishes prepared by top local chefs and long-standing festival vendors across five food courts daily. Off course there will be Texas-style barbeque, spicy fried chicken, zesty steak fajitas, corn dogs, and flavors that span the cuisines of the globe. In addition to the food, mojitos, craft brews, and curated wines-by-the-glass from Chloe and Imagery wines will be available.
Located at the north end of Main Street, children of all ages will be able to embrace their creative side at the Tarrant County College (TCC) “Maker’s Zone” through invention, innovation, technology, creativity, and curiosity. Live demonstrations on themes such as space, pottery, robotics, clay, photography, art, and more will be presented, along with other activities such as invention stations, sand art, caricatures, face painting, and more. New for 2023 will be the PNC Bank Mobile Learning Center.
Festival dates and hours for 2023 are:
- Thursday, April 20: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
- Friday, April 21: 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.
- Saturday, April 22: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Sunday, April 23: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.