Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival – Celebrating 28th Year, April 18-21, 2013

FORT WORTH, TEXAS  (February 15, 2013) – On April 18-21, 2013, the 28^th annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.) will take place in Downtown Fort Worth, showcasing a nationally recognized juried art fair, live music from local, regional and national talent, the best in local cuisine, family-friendly activities, and much, much more.  Known as the crown jewel of Texas’ events, MAIN ST. has been ranked as the #1 arts festival in Texas and the 3rd largest arts festival in the U.S. by The Harris List and the Art Fair Sourcebook, two authoritative reference works on the American art-show circuit.

This year, the streets of Downtown Fort Worth are expected to be filled with colorful sights and sounds as tens of thousands of artists, art lovers, musicians, dancers, performance artists, exhibitors, food vendors and more take part in the four-day celebration. Lining the historic bricks of Main Street will be more than 200-juried artists exhibiting and selling one-of-a-kind and limited-edition works of art, all covering a broad spectrum of creativity. In addition, nearly 300 local, regional and national musicians will be rocking out on three different stages at the 2013 MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival, including Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Sister Hazel, Little Texas, Average White Band and many more. Also taking place again this year is the family favorite “MAIN ST. Creates!” program, presented by CHASE, a hands-on, arts-and-crafts outdoor art studio with multiple children’s and family activities such as ceramic painting, art demonstrations, clay sculpting, rock climbing and much more.

“We are pleased to present our 28^th consecutive year of producing the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival,” said Marilyn Ackmann, chairman of the Festivals and Events Committee for Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., producer of MAIN ST. “The original hope that MAIN ST. would someday become a multi-faceted festival that would transform downtown into an outdoor gallery and concert stage has not only come to life, but has exceeded what anyone thought was possible. Year after year, thousands of people take this opportunity to enjoy all that downtown has to offer in one of the world’s largest outdoor art galleries and music venues, produced by hundreds of dedicated volunteers. We just couldn’t be more appreciative of all the efforts made to ensure our event continues to be the success it has become over the past 28 years.”

GET YOUR ART ON!

The heart and soul of MAIN ST. has and will always be the world-class art on display. This year, MAIN ST.’s unique outdoor gallery will be brimming with 208 artists who were hand-selected to exhibit their work from nearly 1,400 applications. More than $2 million worth of art is expected to be sold during the 2013 festival, with prices ranging from $50 for quality reproductions to several thousand dollars for signed limited editions or one-of-a-kind treasures. 15 different artistic media, ranging from sculpture, painting and photography to woodcarvings, glasswork, jewelry, fashion and mixed media, will be showcased. More information including artist statements, bios and artwork examples can be found on MAIN ST.’s industry-leading online artist gallery, located at www.mainstreetartsfest.org/experience-main-st./art/, or in the MAIN ST. iPhone app.

MUSIC ON MAIN!

This year’s MAIN ST. will be jamming with live music starting at noon daily during all four days of the festival, bringing to Downtown Fort Worth the biggest names in country, rock, folk, blues, jazz and Latin rock.  300 national, regional and local musicians will perform on three different stages, including blues/rock/soul guitarist Robert Randolph & The Family Band, chart-topping rock band Sister Hazel, country music favorite Little Texas, one of the best soul and funk bands in the history of music – Average White Band, and more than 10 performances from MASS Ensemble, the internationally renowned performance group starring William Close, the 2012 star of “America’s Got Talent,” and his one-of-a-kind “Earth Harp.”  A comprehensive entertainment schedule featuring bios, touring histories and social connection options is available online at www.mainstreetartsfest.org/experience-main-st./music-on-main/ or on the MAIN ST. iPhone app.

TASTE OF FORT WORTH

MAIN ST. brings many of the region’s top restaurants and chefs to downtown Fort Worth, allowing guests to experience excellent culinary fare from a wide range of local establishments such as Riscky’s BBQ, Reata, and Schakolad and festival favorites such as Schmidt’s German Village, McKinney’s Corn Dogs and Funnel Cakes, Lone Star Cinnamon Roasted Nuts and Baja Smoothies.

Whether it’s tenderloin tamales, brisket tacos, authentic Texas BBQ, Louisiana crawfish, smoked turkey legs, German bratwurst, delicious crepes, gourmet hamburgers, or jalapeño corn dogs, festivalgoers have choices to satisfy almost any taste bud. Soft drinks, smoothies, iced tea and lemonade as well as beer, margaritas, Mojitos and Texas wines from Times Ten Cellars will also be available. Coupons are required to purchase all food and beverages, and are available for sale in advance online at http://store.mainstreetartsfest.org or at Coupon Booths located conveniently throughout the festival.  A strip of 10 coupons costs $10.

FUN FOR ALL AGES AT “MAIN ST. CREATES!”

The family-favorite “MAIN ST. Creates!” program is back for 2013 and will anchor the north two blocks of the festival. The hands-on, arts-and-crafts outdoor art studio is home to multiple children’s and family activities such as ceramic painting, art demonstrations, clay sculpting, rock climbing and much more. Presented by Chase, “MAIN ST. Creates!” is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and until 6 p.m. on Sunday.

OTHER WAYS TO PARTICIPATE

• Volunteer! MAIN ST. Volunteers are the “wonder team” behind the success of the nationally ranked MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival. The event simply could not take place without the hard work and dedication of more than 1,200 volunteers who handle everything from hospitality to beverage sales.
  • Perks: As a “Team MAIN ST.” member, he or she receives a “Team MAIN ST.” t-shirt, free beverages, 10% discount on official MAIN ST. merchandise and more.
  • Sign up online here – http://bit.ly/MAINVolunteer.
• Join The Collector’s Club! The Collector’s Club provides its members with access to visual artists in a fun way, and offers many benefits as well as behind-the-scenes art purchasing opportunities and Art Purchase Gift Certificates. Interested members can join at either the Premier Collector or Young Collector levels and enjoy the show from a different perspective!
  • Perks: Art Purchase Gift Certificates in $25 and $100 denominations  (additional certificates available for purchase)
; seminars on starting or continuing an art collection; mixers and events throughout the year and during the festival; access to the Skybox on Thursday, April 18, for dinner and drinks, as well as great seats to see Little Texas perform; valet parking all four days of the festival
; Collector’s Club name tag
; and Collector’s emblems to place on artists’ booth signs to promote purchases.
  • Premier Collector Level – $325 Single and $550 Couple
: Includes three (single) or five (couple) $100 Art Purchase Gift Certificates, plus non-refundable membership fee of $25 per person.
  • Young Collector Level (under 45) – $225 Single and $350 Couple: Includes two (single) or three (couple) $100 Art Purchase Gift Certificates, plus non-refundable membership fee of $25 per person.
  • Sign up online here – http://bit.ly/MAINSTCollector
• Become a “Friend of the Festival!”Friends of the Festival provide recognition and networking opportunities for businesses large and small, with premier access to the Skybox each evening. Friends will also be served dinner and beverages alongside Fort Worth’s movers and shakers while enjoying great entertainment.
  • Perks: Recognition on website, in official program and on signs
; passes to the Skybox with dinner, drinks, networking and front row seats
; valet parking
; commemorative shirt or jacket
; festival pin and more.
  • Gold Package – $2,500 (eight people)
  • Silver Package – $1,500 (four people)
  • Bronze Package – $750 (two people)
  • Sign up online here – http://bit.ly/MAINFriend

NEW FOR 2013

• Give the Gift of Art: Art Purchase Gift Certificates in the amounts of $25-$100 are now available for sale online at the MAIN ST. store – http://store.mainstreetartsfest.org. Valid for any art purchases made from participating artists at the 2013 MAIN ST., these certificates are the perfect gift for employees, friends, family or clients.
• The 9th Street Stage area will feature a more open environment showcasing the improvements made to General Worth Square and the new JFK Tribute Sculpture dedicated last fall.  More table seating with great views of the stage will be available, as well a new “Stage Door Tavern” featuring full-service wine, imported and local brews and food.  In addition, a new “VIP Experience” will add yet another way revelers can enjoy the great music at MAIN ST.
• Construction Detours and related 2013 changes:  Downtown Fort Worth is currently undergoing a $110 million project that involves three city blocks and the redevelopment of two surface parking lots stretching between Houston and Commerce Streets and Third and Fourth Streets, as well as part of the block at Third and Throckmorton Streets. Due to construction, the following detours or changes will be in effect during the 2013 MAIN ST.:
  • The Sundance Square Stage (main stage) will be moved one block west to the parking lot bordered by 4th, 5th, Houston and Throckmorton Streets.
  • The artists usually showcasing in “Artist’s Square” will be accommodated throughout Main Street. Next year, the new “Artist’s Square” will be unveiled in a brand-new, vibrant and engaging gathering space – the 55,000-square-foot Sundance Square Plaza.
  • Food vendors will be located throughout the nine-block festival, with a new food court going onto 5th Street between Throckmorton and Houston Streets next to the Gateway Lot.
  • A 2013 Festival Guide, complete with information pertaining to parking, public transportation, access, street closures and more, is available online at www.mainstreetartsfest.org/festival-guide/.

HISTORY

MAIN ST. traces its beginnings to the early 1980s when the City of Fort Worth set in motion a campaign of urban revitalization in the Central Business District. As momentum began to build, businessman Robert Bass spearheaded the initial effort in 1986 to create an event showcasing the attractions of the city’s reawakening downtown core. Mr. Bass and other prominent civic leaders envisioned a multi-faceted festival that would transform downtown into an outdoor gallery and concert stage on an early spring weekend. The inaugural MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival was a three-day event involving 140 artists, 60 performance groups and 600 volunteers. Attendance was approximately 80,000. Two and a half decades later, downtown Fort Worth has become a thriving, 24-hour live-work-play environment. The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival, meanwhile, has followed a parallel trajectory, evolving into the biggest and best-attended event of its kind in the Southwest.

GENERAL INFORMATION

MAIN ST. is annually produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., and is free to the public.  Festival hours* for 2013 are:

• Thursday, April 18, 2013: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• Friday, April 19, 2013: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
• Saturday, April 20, 2013: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
• Sunday, April 21, 2013: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

*Note artists may close at 8 p.m. each evening, and at 6 p.m. on Sunday.  Many, however, stay open later to accommodate the evening’s music audience.

For additional event information, visit MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online at www.MainStreetArtsFest.org, “like” its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MainStreetArtsFest, follow it on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MainStreetArts or download the free MAIN ST. iPhone application directly from your Apple device or from the iTunes App Store.

ABOUT MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL

MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 28th year in 2013 and is presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth. Official Sponsors for 2013 are CHASE, Sundance Square, Tarrant Regional Water District and the University of Texas at Arlington.  Media Sponsors include the Star-Telegram, TV stations KTVT-TV CBS 11 and KTXA-TV Channel 21, and radio stations KLUV-FM / 98.7 K-LUV, KVIL-FM / 103.7 LITE FM, KKJK-FM / 100.3 JACK FM, KTFW-FM / 92.1 HANK FM, and KFWR-FM / 95.9 The Ranch. Supporting Sponsors include XTO Energy, Ford, the Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association, and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T).‬

The festival is produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., a 501 (c) 3 organization formed in 1988 to complement the work of Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. and the Public Improvement District by provide a funding pathway for charitable, educational and public-purpose activities, such as community festivals, residential development and park management. Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. also produces the Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights, which includes lighting ceremonies for the city’s Sundance Square Christmas tree. These events have an economic impact of more than $19 million annually and attract thousands of visitors to downtown Fort Worth each year, creating a sterling celebration of 28 years on Main Street in 2013. For more information, visit www.dfwi.org.