Updates on what’s new for #MainSt2024, street closures, public transportation options, and parking/travel tips to Fort Worth’s largest arts and music festival
FORT WORTH, Texas (April 11, 2024) – The 2024 MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.), presented by PNC Bank, is back for its 37th year on April 18-21, where tens of thousands are expected to take over the streets of Downtown Fort Worth to enjoy art, music, food, and culture at Texas’ largest arts festival.
Throughout the four-day event, 213 juried artists will sell an estimated $4 million worth of art, over 50 musical acts will perform on two stages, and dozens of restaurants and food vendors will serve up local cuisine across four food courts. As attendance at MAIN ST. continues to surge annually, discover what’s fresh for #MainSt2024 and essential details such as public transportation options, street closures, parking facilities, and more.
WHAT’S NEW:
- Headlining Entertainment: MAIN ST. will offer around-the-clock live music on two different stages, with headliners including Austin-based southern soul band Shinyribs; Grammy Award-nominated smooth jazz supergroup Jazz Funk Soul; acclaimed Chicano/Tejano band Latin Breed; soul/jazz singer-songwriter Taylor Pace; Tejano Music Award winner for “Best New Female Artist” Monica Saldivar; Grammy and Emmy Award-winning zydeco musician Buckwheat Zydeco, Jr., and many more.
- Sharpie® Bus – In celebration of World Creativity Day (April 21), Sharpie is heading across America with its new Sharpie Bus, a creativity hub on wheels that will launch its cross-country expedition in Fort Worth at MAIN ST.. The Sharpie Bus at MAIN ST. will offer a variety of activities for visitors to get creative with the new Sharpie Creative Markers, designed to help users turn almost any surface into a colorful canvas. Featuring no-bleed ink and 12 vivid colors, Sharpie Creative Markers make a bold statement on light and dark surfaces including metal, wood, ceramic, glass, rock, canvas, and more. Located at 2nd and Main Streets.
- Baileys Chocolate Liqueur Sampling Station – Baileys will be on-site during MAIN ST. to provide free samples of its brand-new spirit, Baileys Chocolate Liqueur, a decadent chocolate experience that combines two iconic treats – Baileys Original Irish Cream and real Belgian Chocolate. Located at 2nd and Main Streets.
- Wine Pavilion – Hosted by City Center Fort Worth and presented by Chloe Wine Collection, the Wine Pavilion will offer curated selections of Chloe and Imagery wines, available to purchase by the glass, bottle, or sample throughout event hours. Located at 2nd and Main Streets.
- 2024 Commemorative Poster — Designed by Pennsylvania-based exhibiting artist Kina Crow, the MAIN ST. 2024 Commemorative Poster can be purchased at the online festival store for $25, or at the on-site merchandise booth located at 5th and Main Streets.
- TCC Makers Zone – The award-winning “TCC Makers Zone” at MAIN ST. will provide children of all ages with a unique opportunity to explore their creative side through innovation, invention, technology, creativity, and curiosity. Live demonstrations on space, pottery, robotics, clay, photography, computer programming, and circle weaving will be presented, along with other activities such as henna tattoos, bracelet-making, mosaic muraling, 3-D virtual reality (VR), sand art, bead art, caricatures, face painting, and more. Located between Weatherford and 2nd Streets on Main Street.
- Fort Worth ISD “Fort Worth Beauty” Art Contest – Students from the Fort Worth Independent School District will showcase their artwork in the “Fort Worth Beauty” art contest, with over $2,250 in prize money being awarded to the top three-ranked artists. Saturday and Sunday-only at 1st and Main Streets.
- 50% off Trinity Metro, TEXRail, and Trinity Railway Express tickets – Trinity Metro is offering MAIN ST. attendees a 50% discount on local day pass purchases for rides on Trinity Metro, TEXRail, and Trinity Railway Express. The offer is only available to those who purchase tickets via the GoPass mobile app and are valid for one local day pass between April 18-21. Use promo code MSAF24A.
- Built to Last Seating – new outdoor seating areas throughout the festival courtesy of Built to Last.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
With hundreds of street closures and limited parking available, MAIN ST. attendees are encouraged to take public transportation to get to and from #MainSt2024. Options include:
- TEXRail and Trinity Railway Express (TRE) – Both TEXRail and the TRE commuter rail lines will operate all four days of the festival, including a special TRE Sunday train, dropping off and picking up passengers at Fort Worth Central Station, located just two blocks from the festival at 9th and Jones Streets. Visit https://trinityrailwayexpress.org/msfwaf/.
- Molly The Trolley – Trinity Metro will operate its Molly the Trolley shuttle from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. all four days of the festival, transporting attendees from one end of the festival to the other for free. Visit https://ridetrinitymetro.org/rider-services/molly-the-trolley/.
- Trinity Metro – Bus routes 1, 2, 5, 6, 11, 12, 15, 46, 89, and The Dash will operate normal service schedules to and from Fort Worth Central Station. Visit https://ridetrinitymetro.org/msfwaf/.
- Fort Worth Bike Sharing – North Texas’ first bike sharing system, Fort Worth Bike Sharing, has 14 bike-sharing stations within walking distance to the festival. Visit https://www.fortworthbikesharing.org.
- Rideshare – Houston, Commerce and Throckmorton Streets provide the best opportunities for rideshare drop-off and pick-up during MAIN ST.
STREET CLOSURES
Various streets throughout Downtown will be closed throughout the week to accommodate set-up and operations, including:
- Monday, April 15, at 6 a.m. through Monday, April 22, at 6 a.m.: Main, 1st, 8th, 9th, and portions of Houston and Commerce Streets.
- Tuesday, April 16 through Monday, April 22: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Streets
- Friday, April 19, at 6 p.m. through Monday, April 22: 6th and 7th Streets
For a list of all street closures, visit www.mainstreetartsfest.org/festival-guide/street-closures/. NOTE: Hotels throughout Downtown, as well as many restaurants, may be relocating their guest check-in and valet parking stands due to street closures.
PARKING
For those planning to drive to MAIN ST. and park downtown, there are several free parking options after 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and all-day on Saturday and Sunday, including:
- City Center Garage #2 – 400 Jones Street
- The Tower Garage – 400 Taylor Street
- 777 Main Parking Garage – 601 Commerce Street
- Sundance Square Garage #3 – 345 W. 3rd Street
- Resident lot at City Hall – 200 Texas Street
- Parking meters throughout downtown
For a list of all free and paid parking options in Downtown Fort Worth, visit https://www.fortworthparking.com/downtown.
2024 HOURS, HASHTAG + SOCIALS
MAIN ST. is produced annually by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., and is free and open to the public. The official hashtag for 2024 is #MainSt2024. Festival dates and hours for 2024 are:
- Thursday, April 18: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Friday, April 19: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
- Saturday, April 20: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
- Sunday, April 21: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
For more information, visit/follow MAIN ST. online at:
ABOUT MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL
The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival presented by PNC is celebrating its 37th year in 2024 on April 18-21. Ranked as the #3 fine arts event in the U.S., the always-free-to-attend MAIN ST. will feature 185 jury-selected visual artists, live music on two stages, authentic local cuisine, a revamped family-friendly “Makers Zone,” craft beer pavilions, wine tastings, and more across 18 square blocks throughout Downtown Fort Worth. In addition to presenting sponsor PNC, official sponsors include BMW, Sharpie, Tarrant County College, and The University of Texas at Arlington. Media sponsors are 92.1 HANK FM (KTFW-FM), and 95.9 The Ranch (KFWR-FM). Supporting sponsors are Blue Moon Brewing Company, Built to Last, Chloe Wine, Baileys Chocolate Liqueur, Hear Fort Worth, Imagery Wine Collection, Music Professionals Trust Fund, Pinnacle Bank and Trinity Metro. Hotel sponsors are AC Hotel Fort Worth Downtown, Aloft Fort Worth Downtown, The Ashton Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott Fort Worth Downtown/Blackstone, Hilton Fort Worth, and the Sheraton Fort Worth Downtown Hotel. For more information, visit www.mainstreetartsfest.org.
ABOUT PNC BANK
PNC, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.
ABOUT DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH INITIATIVES, INC.
Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization formed in 1988 to complement the work of Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. by providing a funding pathway for charitable, educational, and public-purpose activities, such as community festivals, affordable residential development, park improvements, and management. Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. produces the annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and the GM Financial Parade of Lights, which have an economic impact of more than $28 million annually and attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to Downtown Fort Worth each year. For more information, visit www.DFWI.org.
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