CityArts Festival kicks off tomorrow at Fair Park!
Hi, Bryan Here…
CITYARTS FESTIVAL KICKS OFF FRIDAY WITH ARTFEST, OUTDOOR FILM SCREENINGS, 60s-THEMED DANCE PARTIES,
CELEBRITY CHEFS, ART CARS, ART CLASSES, KIDS CRAFTS AND MORE AT FAIR PARK
Free three-day festival brings more than 100 juried artists from around the country, plus North Texas’ most celebrated chefs at the culinary showcase, discount admission to museums at varying times, ongoing entertainment, “dancing water” and more giving staycationers plenty to enjoy Memorial Day weekend.
WHAT:
Chock-full of awesome art, fabulous food, celebrity chefs, wacky Art Cars and more,CityArts Festival presented by Big City Crushed Concrete will offer activities for families, foodies, film buffs and art aficionados alike to enjoy Memorial Day weekend against the backdrop of historic Fair Park. Free and open to the public, CityArts Festival will featureARTFEST, the outdoor juried art show coordinated by The 500 Inc. showcasing fine art and original pieces by more than 100 renowned artists.
The festivities kick off Friday at 6 p.m. with a 1960s-themed dance party from 7 – 9 p.m. followed by an outdoor screening of American Graffiti at 9 p.m. on the lawn near the Museum of Nature & Science (Nature Building). NOTE: THIS IS A NEW LOCATION.On Saturday, the fun continues all day and into the night with another 60s-themed dance party and outdoor screening of Grease at 9 p.m.
Inside the Texas Museum of Automotive History, the Culinary Showcase will feature some of the North Texas’ most celebrated chefs for demos, tastings, and craft beer, wine and liquor pairings, plus mixology sessions, scotch flight tastings, “evolving cocktails” and more. (Culinary guests must be 21 years of age with valid ID.)
Kids can take part in unique crafts and family-fun shows on Saturday and Sunday until 6 p.m., plus adults and teens can participate in 60-minute art classes with take-home crafts throughout the weekend. All ages can enjoy reduced admission to Fair Park’s museums at VARYING times; entertainment on multiple stages; shopping at CityArts Marketplace; top-of-the-hour “dancing water” shows at the Esplanade Fountain; bites and beverages from local food trucks and vendors; Art Cars by “cartists” from Texas and beyond; and more.See news release below if you’d like the full scoop.
Media are also invited to the VIP preview party from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Friday along the Leonhardt Lagoon and may stop by the Hospitality Tent any time during the weekend.Please let us know if you plan to attend so we can add you to the VIP list.
WHEN:
Friday, May 25 (6 – 10 p.m.), Saturday, May 26 (11 a.m. – 10 p.m.), and Sunday, May 27 (11 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
WHERE:
Outdoor activities will take place will take place along the Leonhardt Lagoon, Cotton Bowl Plaza, Promenade, and First and Grand avenues at Fair Park (1300 Robert B. Cullum Blvd, Dallas 75210). The Culinary Showcase will be located inside the Texas Museum of Automotive History.
PARKING:
Media may park at Gate 4 (Parry Avenue). Show your general media credentials to the parking attendant, and they will direct you to VIP parking. Please contact Becky (214-697-7745) or Taylor (214-435-7756) if you have any questions or any problems getting in.
Returning Memorial Day weekend May 25 – 27, CityArts Festivalpresented by Big City Crushed Concrete will offer a spectacular spread of activities and entertainment for families and art aficionados alike to enjoy against the backdrop of historic Fair Park, a national landmark featuring the world’s largest collection of 1930s art deco exhibit buildings, art and sculpture. Free and open to the public, CityArts Festival will feature ARTFEST, which returns to its traditional outdoor setting with art by nearly 150 renowned juried artists. Other holiday-weekend highlights will include two outdoor filmsFriday and Saturday night with 60s-themed dance parties; an indoor culinary showcase featuring demos and tastings by some of Dallas’ most famed chefs and mixologists; unique children’s activities and family-fun shows; art classes for adults and teens with take-home crafts; Art Cars by “cartists” from Texas and beyond; reduced admission to Fair Park’s museums at select times; entertainment on multiple stages; shopping at CityArts Marketplace; “dancing water” shows at the Esplanade Fountain; and more.
“As a Dallas-based company with offices near Fair Park, we have a long-standing fondness for our neighboring historic landmark,” said Trey Brown, vice president of Big City Crushed Concrete. “We’re thrilled to be back sponsoring CityArts Festival for a second year. It’s a huge and diverse event that’s fun and affordable, and it brings the community together over a special holiday weekend.”
ARTFEST, the popular juried art show coordinated by The 500, Inc., will once again be held outdoors at CityArts Festival to showcase fine art and original pieces by nearly 150 renowned Texas and national artists. For more than 40 years, ARTFEST has supported and helped raise money for cultural arts organizations in the Dallas area. Visitors will have a chance to view, meet the artists, and purchase artworks including ceramics, glass, graphics, jewelry, leather/textiles, metal, mixed media, paintings, photography, sculpture and wood.
Two outdoor film nights plus 60s-themed dance pre-parties
Back by popular demand, the Dallas Film Society will host two free outdoor screenings includingAmerican Graffiti at 9 p.m. Friday and Grease at 9 p.m. Saturday on the grassy area near the Museum of Nature & Science Nature Building. (NOTE: THIS IS A NEW LOCATION.) Enter at Gate 5 off Grand Avenue and Robert B. Cullum Boulevard. Both nights, guests are invited to put on their poodle skirts, roll up their jeans and rewind time for 60s-themed dance pre-movie parties from 7 – 9 p.m. hosted by 98.7 KLUV. Plus, kids can enjoy crafts from 7 – 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Produced by Francis Coppola and directed by George Lucas, American Graffiti tells the story of four teenagers on their last summer night before they leave for college. The 1973 award-winning flick rediscovers drag racing, Inspiration Point and drive-ins in a nostalgic look at the 1960s with some of the era’s most memorable rock ‘n’ roll hits.
Starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John and Stockard Channing, Grease is the summer lovin’ story of good girl Sandy Olsson and Danny Zukko at the rowdy Rydell High. Complete with catchy sing-a-longs, T-Bird black jackets and Pink Ladies prissiness, the 1978 musical continues to be a favorite among audiences of all ages.
Guests may bring blankets and low-to-the-ground chairs for the outdoor screenings. Concessions (including beer and wine) will be available for purchase.
Cooking demos with star chefs, plus craft beer, wine and liquor tastings, mixology sessions and more at Culinary Showcase
Throughout the weekend, festival goers ages 21 and up can congregate at the Culinary Showcase inside the Texas Museum of Automotive History. Foodies and wine enthusiasts can enjoy cooking demos, samplings, wine pairings and mixology sessions with some of North Texas’ most celebrated chefs including Chef Richard Chamberlain, Chef Hugh Stewart and Sommelier Jeff Bradley of Chamberlain’s Fish Market Grill and Chamberlain’s Steak and Chophouse; Executive Chef Joel Harloff of The Second Floor; Executive Chef Dan Landsberg of Dragonfly at Hotel ZaZa; Sous Chef Lincoln Mertes of Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House; Executive Chef David McMillan and bartender Brad Henry of Screen Door; Chef/Owner Janice Provost of Parigi; Executive Chef Matt Raso of Nobu Dallas; Chef Rich Rogers of Scardello; Executive Chef Jim Severson of Sevy’s Grill; Chef TJ Lengnick and Mixologist Bonnie Wilson of Whiskey Cake; and more to be announced soon.
In addition, guests can sample an assortment of craft beer, liquor and wine by Constellation Winesincluding world-renowned musician Dave Matthews and award-winning winemaker Steve Reeder’s The Dreaming Tree collection of high-quality wines. Scotch lovers can sample and compare 12-, 15- and 18-year-old marques with Glenfiddich Whisky brand ambassador/expert Dave Allardice on Friday and Saturday night. Plus spirit enthusiasts can enlighten their taste buds with one-on-one and group mixers dubbed “evolving cocktails,” a three-part progressive tasting tour that begins with a single liquor sampling and ends with a tasty concoction.
Kids crafts and ongoing activities aplenty at Prudential Children’s Area Saturday and Sunday until 6 p.m.
The Prudential Children’s Area will be chock-full of arts and crafts, interactive activities and family-fun entertainment. With the help of Dallas nonprofit Big Thought and Dallas artist Jennifer Kindert, kids can make a wallet or small purse from leather generously donated by Fossil. Prudential will present a Money Games craft and help kids create an Art of Finance mural. Other unique activities will include butterfly crafts with the Dallas Holocaust Museum, jellyfish crafts and origami dolphins and whales with Sea Shepard Conservation Society, plus Dallas Summer Musicals, the Crow Collection of Asian Art and other prominent organizations will be on site with a variety of hands-on fun to keep young ones content and creative. In addition, the CityArts Craft Area within the Prudential Children’s Area will feature a different craft every two hours including unique pony-beaded American flag key chains, watercolors and nature print photographs, and mosaics from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. and 4 – 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.NOTE: The Prudential Children’s Area will be open Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Art classes for adults and teens at the outdoor Magnolia Art Lounge
Adults and teens (ages 13 and up) can enjoy 60-minute art classes led by local artists from the Creative Arts Center of Dallas and Artcycletx at the outdoor Magnolia Art Lounge. Take-home creations will include everything from painting to recycled projects. Other unique crafts include empty bowls with Jo Clay (free); Mexican folk art with Sal Barron; book art with Sheila Cunningham; interactive watercolor with Robert Moore; encaustic painting with Brent Dyer; nature sketching with Cynthia Padilla; monotypes/pin press with Junanne Peck; and altered objects, art dolls, and chalk pastel classes with VET. Conducting free demos will be Robin Gary in ceramics throwing and Suzanne Morgan in nuno-felting sculptures.Please note: Unless otherwise noted, all art classes are $5 per person. Space is limited.Participants should be at least 13 years of age.
Art Cars, shopping, food and “dancing water” to delight all ages
An exciting spectacle and crowd pleaser, Art Cars will make their way back to CityArts Festival. “Cartists” from Texas and beyond will wheel in for the weekend to showcase their mobile masterpieces. From cowhair and bottle caps to an oh-so patriotic “Americar,” the quirky cars are sure to stop visitors in their tracks.
CityArts Marketplace will feature unique gifts, clothing, collectibles and other eclectic items suitable for bargain shoppers and high-end buyers. Plus, food trucks, vendors and various restaurants will be on site selling mouth-watering meals, snacks and refreshments, including Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, Nammi Truck (Vietnamese cuisine), Enticed Shaved Ice, and dozens more.
Hourly “dancing water” shows choreographed to music at the Esplanade Fountain will dazzle bystanders. Four songs will be featured including Yellow Rose of Texas, Aaron Copland’s Hoedown of the popular Rodeo suite, Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Stars and Stripes. Dancing water shows will run at the top of the hour from 6 – 9 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday.
Reduced admission to Fair Park’s six museums at select times
Fair Park’s six museums will offer reduced admission (at select times) including the African AmericanMuseum, Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park, Dallas Historical Society/Hall of State, Museum of Nature & Science, Texas Discovery Gardens, and Texas Museum of Automotive History. For the museum schedule, see end of release or check cityartsfestival.com for the latest updates.
Local bands, up-and-coming rock stars, Texas Cool Dancers and more to excite audiences throughout the weekend
A mix of musical, dance and performing arts acts will be featured throughout the weekend on three stages including the Main Stage sponsored by MetroPCS. Friday’s line-up will include Dallas band 5 Second Rule and Nashville singer/songwriter Derik Hultquist, among others. Saturday’s schedule will featuresounds of inspiring young rockers from local music schools including Zounds Sounds and School of Rock, plus up-and-coming “master artists” from Septien Entertainment Group such as Ryan Akin, Remington, Kaitlin Lindley and Caroline Brenner will perform throughout the day. The Texas Cool Dancers will perform their country and western line dance choreographed by Glee’s own Zach Woodlee. Other Saturday entertainers will include various folklorico dance groups, plus Galen Jeter’s Dallas County Rock Band will take the stage that evening. Sunday’s lineup includes local favorites such as theDaniel de Córdoba Bailes Españoles, GenX Playhouse Puppet Show, Orquesta Cervantes,Reverend Leon & The Repenters, and Stefani Little Band. Check cityartsfestival.com for the latest entertainment schedules.
