Main Street Arts Festival returns for 36th year in April. What about Fort Worth Art Fair?
March 6,2023
See full Fort Worth Star-Telegram article by Megan Cardona here.
The Main Street Arts Festival returns to Fort Worth next month, running April 20-23.
The festival, presented by PNC Bank, is the largest arts festival in Texas and 3rd largest arts festival in the U.S. As the name implies, the festival runs along Main Street in downtown Fort Worth with food, live entertainment and 200 artist booths filling the roadway.
This year marks the festival’s 36th run — it was canceled for two years during the pandemic and returned last year, coinciding with Sundance Square’s inaugural Fort Worth Art Fair.
From hours to parking, here’s what to know for this year’s festival.
WHAT TIME DOES THE MAIN STREET ARTS FESTIVAL OPEN?
Operation hours for the festival are:
- April 20: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- April 21: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- April 22: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- April 23: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
While festivities continue late into the evening, artist booths will close at 8 p.m. April 20-22 and at 6 p.m. on April 23.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GO TO THE ART FESTIVAL?
The festival is free to attend and takes place along Main Street in downtown Fort Worth. There are several parking options in downtown, which include free garages in the evenings and on the weekends.
WHAT KIND OF ART WILL BE AT THE MAIN STREET ARTS FESTIVAL?
The Main Street Arts Festival will feature 215 jury-selected local, regional and national artists.
Artwork will include:
- Ceramics
- Leather
- Painting
- Woodwork
- Photography
- Metalwork
- Jewelry
- Glass
- Sculpture
- Drawing
- Printmaking
WILL THERE BE FOOD AT THE MAIN STREET ARTS FESTIVAL?
Food and beverages are sold during the festival by card payment only, no cash. Apple Pay and Google Pay will be accepted.
Free water stations sponsored by Frost will be available for attendees. There will also be craft beer pavilions and wine tasting.
WILL THERE BE MUSIC AT THE MAIN STREET ARTS FESTIVAL?
Live music on two different stages will feature entertainers ranging from southern rock bands and jazz keyboardists to R&B groups and Tejano vocalists.
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 vocalist Monica Saldivar
- Cover band Poo Live Crew
ARE PETS ALLOWED AT THE MAIN STREET ARTS FESTIVAL?
Festival officials encourage attendees to leave their pets at home due to minimal locations available around Main Street for pets to relieve themselves. Dogs must be kept on a 6-foot leash at all times and are not allowed in artist booths.
Service animals are welcome.
WILL THE FORT WORTH ART FAIR ALSO BE OPEN?
The inaugural Fort Worth Art Fair was held at the same time as the Main Street Arts Festival last year, hosted in Sundance Square which is in the middle of Main Street.
The Fort Worth Art Fair was created to showcase local artists and galleries in Fort Worth. Most of the work shown at the fair last year consisted of Fort Worth-based art, along with national artists from a gallery based out of Fort Worth.
Last year the Fort Worth Art Fair was announced on March 17, 2022. As of March 6, the Fort Worth Art Fair has not announced dates for this year.