Green River Ordinance, The Georgia Satellites, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Robben Ford, and Tito Puente, Jr. Headlining 30th Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival

Hundreds of entertainers will perform on three stages along the streets of Downtown Fort Worth at the city’s largest arts and music festival on April 9-12, 2015

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 21, 2015) – Hundreds of critically acclaimed entertainers, including headliners Green River Ordinance, The Georgia Satellites, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Robben Ford, and Tito Puente, Jr., are set to perform at the 2015 MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.), celebrating its 30th year on April 9-12. Throughout the four-day festival, music lovers will witness live shows from locally, nationally and internationally recognized entertainers who cover a wide variety of music including, blues, jazz, country, Latin, rock, funk, classical and more.

There will be three stages providing the entertainment platform for this year’s performers. The University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington) MAIN Stage, located at 9th and Main Streets in front of the Convention Center, will host entertainers such as legendary guitarist and five-time Grammy Award nominee Robben Ford, southern rock legends Atlanta Rhythm Section and The Georgia Satellites, and Fort Worth-based alternative roots-rockers Green River Ordinance.

The Sundance Square Stage, located on the west side of Sundance Square Plaza at 4th and Main Streets, will host entertainers such as contemporary jazz keyboardist and composer Keiko Matsui, 2013 Cliburn finalist Steven Lin, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, jazz saxophonist Marion Meadows, and critically acclaimed Latin jazz artist Tito Puente, Jr.

On the Star-Telegram Performing Arts Stage, located at 5th and Main Streets, performers include avant-garde, new-age multimedia performance troupe Squonk Opera, country / rock / jazz hybrid The Gypsy Playboys, comedy-juggling superhero The Checkerboard Guy, and comedy juggler Wacky Chad.

Details including a comprehensive entertainment schedule, musician biographies, stage sponsors, and performance dates and times can be found online at MAIN ST.’s “Music on MAIN” page.

The 2015 MAIN ST. headliners include:

  • Thursday, April 9, 2015
    • Noon, 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. – Squonk Opera (Star-Telegram Performing Arts Stage)
    • 6:30 p.m. – Beyond the Pale (Sundance Square Stage)
    • 6:30 p.m. – Mase & The Sidemen (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
    • 8:30 p.m. – Robert Ealey / Bluebird Tribute (Sundance Square Stage)
    • 8:30 p.m. – Green River Ordinance (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
    • Friday, April 10, 2015
      • 1:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. – Squonk Opera (Star-Telegram Performing Arts Stage)
      • 7 p.m. – Steven Lin (Sundance Square Stage)
      • 7 p.m. – Brave Combo (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
      • 9 p.m. – Tito Puente, Jr. (Sundance Square Stage)
      • 9 p.m. – Robben Ford (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
      • Saturday, April 11, 2015
        • Noon, 4:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. – Squonk Opera (Star-Telegram Performing Arts Stage)
        • 2 p.m. – Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (Sundance Square Stage)
        • 7 p.m. – Penny and Sparrow (Sundance Square Stage)
        • 7 p.m. – Atlanta Rhythm Section (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
        • 7:30 p.m. – The Gypsy Playboys (Star-Telegram Performing Arts Stage)
        • 9 p.m. – Keiko Matsui (Sundance Square Stage)
        • 9 p.m. – The Georgia Satellites (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
        • Sunday, April 12, 2015
          • Noon, 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – Squonk Opera (Star-Telegram Performing Arts Stage)
          • 3:30 p.m. – Breggett Rideau (Sundance Square Stage)
          • 4:30 p.m. – Latin Express (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
          • 5:30 p.m. – Marion Meadows (Sundance Square Stage)
          • 6:30 p.m. – Havana NRG (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)

Also taking place for the first time in MAIN ST.’s 30-year history are performances from the Fort Worth Songwriters’ Association. On Saturday and Sunday, April 11 and 12, local musicians will be showcasing their talent from 1 – 4 p.m. in Times Ten Cellars’ “Wine Experience” pavilion, located at 7th and Main Streets. Performances will include an eclectic range of music such as ’70s acoustic style, Texas country, Americana, blues and folk, rock ‘n’ roll, indie, original songs and more from artists such as Michael Mayes, Alan Beauvais, Gary Devlin and Summer Richman.

GENERAL INFORMATION

MAIN ST. is annually produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., and is free to the public. The official hashtag for 2015 is #MainSt2015. Festival hours for 2015 are:

  • Thursday, April 9, 2015: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Friday, April 10, 2015: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 11, 2015: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 12, 2015: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

For additional event information, visit MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online at:

ABOUT MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL

The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 30th year in 2015 and is presented by Blue Moon Brewing Company®, which is distributed throughout the DFW Metroplex by Andrews Distributing Company. Official sponsors for 2015 are the Tarrant Regional Water District, Sundance Square, The University of Texas at Arlington, Tarrant County College and Wells Fargo. Media sponsors are the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T), and the Trinity Railway Express (TRE). Radio sponsors are 92.1 HANK FM (KTFW-FM) and 95.9 The Ranch (KFWR-FM). Supporting sponsors are the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau, XTO Energy, Frost Bank, and the Music Performance Trust Fund. Hotel sponsors are Omni Fort Worth Hotel, Park Central Hotel, The Ashton Hotel, the Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel, Courtyard Fort Worth Downtown / Blackstone, and the Hilton Fort Worth. For more information, visit www.MainStreetArtsFest.org.

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. and the Public Improvement District by providing a funding pathway for charitable, educational and public-purpose activities, such as community festivals, residential development and park management. Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. produces the annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and the annual XTO Energy Parade of Lights. These events have an economic impact of more than $27 million annually and attract thousands of visitors to Downtown Fort Worth each year. For more information, visit www.DFWI.org.

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200+ of The Nation’s Finest Artists Selected to Exhibit at 2015 Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival

The largest arts festival in Texas has become one of the most selective festivals in the country attracting more than 1,345 applicants this year

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 11, 2015) – More than 200 of the nation’s finest artists are set to showcase their work at the 2015 MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.), taking place April 9-12. Located in the heart of Downtown Fort Worth, more than $4.6 million worth of art is expected to be sold during the four-day festival, which will celebrate its 30th year in 2015

MAIN ST.’s extensive jury selection process requires artists to submit an application and their bodies of work to an esteemed blind, seven-person jury panel. In 2015, less than 14 percent of artists who applied were accepted into MAIN ST., with 1,345 applications received and 215 artists selected to exhibit.

Each year, nearly $11,000 is granted to the artist award winners, including one “Best of Show” winner, one “Best Emerging Artist” winner, seven “Merit Award” winners, and 14 “Juror Award” winners for each category. Art medium categories include ceramics, jewelry, mixed-media, printmaking, digital, fiber, leather, painting, sculpture, drawing/pastels, glass, metalwork, photography and wood. All artist award winners are automatically invited back to the next year’s MAIN ST.

Award-winning artists from the 2014 festival that were selected to return for the 2015 MAIN ST. include:

  • Jeffrey Cannon (Austin, Texas) – Best of Show Award 2014/Drawing & Pastels – Booth 315: Using only his hands and very large palettes of soft pastels, Jeffrey Cannon creates original landscapes that explore how nature continues to enchant, excite and inspire his audience.
  • Pamela Summers (Fort Worth, Texas) – Merit Award 2014/Ceramics – Booth 303: Inspired by tribes in Africa, Pamela Summers creates wheel-thrown, handmade vessels and tiles that are painted and fired three times using a palette of up to 12 glazes.
  • Marvin Blackmore (Durango, Colorado) – Merit Award 2014/Ceramics – Booth 821: Known for creating intricate, hand-etched pottery, Marvin Blackmore uses a two-tone, black-on-black technique that adds a layer of colored clay slips.
  • Sally Linville (Lyons, Kansas) – Merit Award 2014/Sculpture – Booth 512: Inspired by her pet chickens, Sally Linville has created chicken ottomans through a thorough art process that includes hand-felting feathers and bronze-casting feet and beaks.
  • Richard Hall (Mesa, Arizona) – Merit Award 2014/Painting – Booth 519: Characterized by a lack of visible brush strokes, whimsical compositions and realistic textures, Richard Hall strives to tell stories with his paintings, often adding an unexpected object to create interest and give his art a sense of humor.
  • Amy Flynn (Raleigh, North Carolina) – Merit Award 2014/Sculpture – Booth 610: Amy Flynn constructs one-of-a-kind “fobots” by using junk material and found objects. Each creation has its own personality and is typically made using vintage items that someone else once treasured.
  • Michael Schwegmann (Champaign, Illinois) – Juror Award 2014/Ceramics – Booth 329: Michael Schwegmann creates ceramic representations of common objects through attentive details and surfaces. He prefers to create sculptures that resemble memories of an object and alters them to engage intellect and emotion in a surprising way.
  • Beau Tudzarov (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) – Juror Award 2014/Digital – Booth 720: Striving to constantly find something new and compelling, Beau Tudzarov creates complex, detailed and captivating digital work using a five-step process focusing on transparency and reflection.
  • R. Michael Wommack (Langhorne, Pennsylvania) – Juror Award 2014/Drawing & Pastels – Booth 603: R. Michael Wommack creates a series of pastel drawings based on dreams and memories of growing up in the suburbs.
  • Cary Henrie (Bountiful, Utah) – Juror Award 2014/Sculpture – Booth 422: Cary Henrie utilizes a new type of sculpture – Life Vessels – that has third world sustainability including harvested butterflies, plants, and other “live” materials.
  • Scott Amrhein (Sherwood, Wisconsin) – Juror Award 2014/Glass – Booth 528: Inspired by the peace and serenity of the natural environment, Scott Amrhein finds tranquility in crafting glass lumen bowls that combine natural and man-made materials.
  • Seung Lee (Cathedral City, California) – Juror Award 2014/Printmaking – Booth 308: Influenced by the two poles of the yin and the yang, Seung Lee is a Korean-American contemporary artist whose subjects and materials are discovered on the street such as wood scraps, dishes, tree roots, broken TVs, VCRs, and other found materials.
  • Megan Clark (Raleigh, North Carolina) – Juror Award 2014/Jewelry – Booth 328: Megan Clark’s hand-fabricated jewelry brings together natural patterns with architectural forms and structures, creating a balance between the organic and geometric worlds of design.
  • Carol Hearty (Beacon, New York) – Juror Award 2014/Leather – Booth 304: An award-winning handbag designer, Carol Hearty’s leather bags are simple, intuitively mathematical, two-dimensional constructs that zip into inspiringly unlikely bags.
  • Jeffrey Zachmann (Fergus Falls, Minnesota) – Juror Award 2014/Metalwork – Booth 501: Jeffrey Zachmann explores movement by manipulating stainless steel to form with various materials, and creating kinetic sculptures that include rolling balls, gravity powered devices and motorized lifts.
  • Thomas Diel (Fort Worth, Texas) – Juror Award 2014/Mixed Media – Booth 428: With a background in industrial design and an eye for craft and detail, Thomas Diel uses architectural structure to design his “industrial-chic” furniture and small furnishings.
  • Andrew Sovjani (Conway, Massachusetts) – Juror Award 2014/Photography – Booth 620: As a visual artist recognized for blurring the boundaries between photography, painting and printmaking, Andrew Sovjani uses black and white negatives to create photographs that are chemically altered in the darkroom.
  • Susan Clayton (Tallapoosa, Georgia) – Juror Award 2014/Sculpture – Booth 313: Susan Clayton creates one-of-a-kind, hand-built ceramic sculptures that capture the feeling of comfort and peace.
  • Paul Lambrecht (Lanesboro, Minnesota) – Juror Award 2014/Wood – Booth 604: For the past 32 years, Paul Lambrecht has been making sculptures using everyday objects and mixing them with items that wouldn’t normally coexist. Typically, he starts by finding pieces of wood and adding unique elements of paint or carvings to create depth.

MAIN ST. is annually produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., and is free to the public. The official hashtag for 2015 is #MainSt2015. Festival hours for 2015 are:

  • Thursday, April 9, 2015: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Friday, April 10, 2015: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 11, 2015: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 12, 2015: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

For additional event information, visit MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online at:

ABOUT MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL

The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 30th year in 2015 and is presented by Blue Moon Brewing Company®, which is distributed throughout the DFW Metroplex by Andrews Distributing Company. Official sponsors for 2015 are the Tarrant Regional Water District, Sundance Square, The University of Texas at Arlington, Tarrant County College and Wells Fargo. Media sponsors are the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T), and the Trinity Railway Express (TRE). Radio sponsors are 92.1 HANK FM (KTFW-FM) and 95.9 The Ranch (KFWR-FM). Supporting sponsors are the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau, XTO Energy, Frost Bank, and the Music Performance Trust Fund. Hotel sponsors are Omni Fort Worth Hotel, Park Central Hotel, The Ashton Hotel, the Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel, Courtyard Fort Worth Downtown / Blackstone, and the Hilton Fort Worth. For more information, visit www.MainStreetArtsFest.org.

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. and the Public Improvement District by providing a funding pathway for charitable, educational and public-purpose activities, such as community festivals, residential development and park management. Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. produces the annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and the annual XTO Energy Parade of Lights. These events have an economic impact of more than $27 million annually and attract thousands of visitors to Downtown Fort Worth each year. For more information, visit www.DFWI.org.

# # #

Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival Closing Sunday, April 13

Due to strong winds and potential severe weather conditions

FORT WORTH, Texas (April 13, 2014) – Organizers of the 29th annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival made the decision to close the festival one day early on Sunday, April 13, after the National Weather Service issued a wind advisory in effect from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.. South winds of 25-30 miles per hour are expected with gusts in excess of 35 miles per hour.

“Due to updated projections of sustained high winds of 25-35 miles per hour throughout the day, and out of consideration for the safety of our guests, artists, volunteers, vendors and performers, we will be closing MAIN ST. today,” said Jay Downie, events director of Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., the producer of the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival. “This is not a decision we take lightly; however, our number one priority is the safety of all who are involved. We hope everyone stays home and stays safe.”

For additional event information, call 817.336.ARTS (2787) or visit the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online at www.MainStreetArtsFest.org.

Transportation Made Easy for the 29th Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival on April 10-13, 2014

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 31, 2014) – Transportation to the 29th annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.) is easier than ever with a variety of options made available to the public. From April 10-13, 2014, the Dallas/Fort Worth community will have the option to travel downtown by shuttle, bus, bike, car or train, at discounted rates.

What started as a three-day event involving 140 artists, 60 performance groups, 600 volunteers and approximately 80,000 people in attendance has grown into the largest arts and music festival in Texas. 29 years later, the now four-day-festival will feature 214 artists, more than 100 performance groups, 1,200 volunteers and hundreds of thousands of people in attendance.

Public Transportation

Local public transportation has created multiple opportunities for simplified travel to this year’s MAIN ST. Attendees are encouraged to utilize special offers from the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T), the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), Fort Worth Bike Sharing (B-cycle) and MAIN ST.’s free Bike Corral, made possible by the Fort Worth Bicycle Association and Bicycle’s, Inc.

In addition to its regular bus routes, The T will also offer specialized MAIN ST. Park-and-Ride shuttles that will travel to and from the festival every 20 minutes on Friday and Saturday.

Specifics include:

  • On Friday, April 11, the MAIN ST. shuttles will run between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m.
  • On Saturday, April 12, the MAIN ST. shuttles will run between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m.
  • Pick-up and drop-off from the Stockyards/Billy Bob’s Texas area, located off North Main and 27th streets, and Farrington Field, located on the corner of University Drive and Lancaster Avenue, in the east lot behind the stadium
  • Cost is $1 each way
  • No operation on Thursday or Sunday

The TRE station at the Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC), located at Jones and 9th streets, is within walking distance of the festival. The TRE will be running all four days of the festival, and will add extra service cars to accommodate attendees from across the Metroplex.

Specifics include:

  • On Thursday, April 10, the last eastbound train will depart the ITC station at 9:46 p.m.
  • On Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, the last eastbound train will depart the ITC station at 11:35 p.m. and will travel to downtown Dallas’ Union Station. Note: DART rail services will not be operating at this time
  • On Sunday, April 13, the TRE will run a special schedule to and from Dallas between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

For more information regarding The T or TRE services, visit: www.The-T.com/MainStreet.aspx.

Fort Worth Bike Sharing (B-cycle) has 14 bike sharing stations located within walking distance of the festival zone.  All MAIN ST. attendees who use B-cycle can take advantage of half-price bike rentals and $4 access, simply by using the promo code, “76102.” For a full B-cycle system map, learn about B-cycle membership opportunities, and more, visit: www.FortWorthBikeSharing.org.

Attendees who plan to ride their own bicycle to MAIN ST. will have access to the free Bike Corral, located at 4th and Commerce streets. The Bike Corral will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Parking and Street Closures

For those who intend to drive to this year’s MAIN ST., parking will be available at various free and paid lots throughout downtown. For information and a detailed map of options, visit www.FortWorthParking.com.

Many streets will be closed as a result of the festival beginning on Monday, April 7, from 12:01 a.m. through Monday, April 14, at 6 a.m.

The closures in effect include:

  • Main Street from 2nd Street to 3rd Street
  • Main Street from 5th Street to 9th Street
  • 9th Street from Houston Street to Commerce Street
  • 9th Street from Commerce Street to Calhoun Street
  • 8th Street’s southbound lane and parking curb from Houston Street to Main Street will be closed
  • Houston Street’s northbound lane from 11th Street to 9th Street will be closed to all but local traffic due to closure of 9th Street to Houston Street

For more information and updated street closures, visit: www.MainStreetArtsFest.org/festival-guide/street-closures/.

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 official MAIN ST. iPhone app via the iTunes App Store℠, here: bit.ly/MainStreetiPhone.

ABOUT MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL

The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 29th year in 2014 and is presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth. Official Sponsors for 2014 are Sundance Square, Tarrant County College, the Tarrant Regional Water District, The University of Texas at Arlington, and Wells Fargo. Media Sponsors include the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and Trinity Railway Express (TRE), 92.1 HANK FM (KTFW-FM), and 95.9 The Ranch (KFWR-FM). Supporting Sponsors include Bank of Texas, RadioShack, the Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association and the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts 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 providing 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 XTO Energy Parade of Lights. These events have an economic impact of more than $27 million annually and attract thousands of visitors to Downtown Fort Worth each year. For more information, visit www.DFWI.org.

2014 Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival – Security/Safety Notice

While the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival has maintained a very involved and detailed disaster, emergency, and safety plan for a number of years, it is important that our local residents, festival attendees, vendors, and artists work collaboratively with the City of Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Police Department, the Fort Worth Fire Department, and MAIN ST. event organizers to ensure the safety and well being of all who participate in the 2014 MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival.

The Fort Worth Police Department will be utilizing many uniformed and plainclothes police officers throughout the festival. In addition to the officers, Fire Department bomb-detecting K9 units will be sweeping the area and extra security cameras will be installed and remotely monitored.

We are also asking for assistance from our citizens. If you see suspicious activity, please report it immediately to the Fort Worth Police Department. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911. Citizens should follow the “If You See Something, Say Something” guidelines as outlined by Homeland Security.

Citizens are also encouraged to visit www.Nixle.com and sign up for a free service used by the Fort Worth Office of Emergency Management (OEM) to send out information in the event of natural disasters and/or acts of violence in our area. Subscribers will receive messages via text and/or email.

Lastly, we ask all event attendees to keep all packages, bags, and backpacks with you at all times. Any unattended packages, bags, or backpacks will be subject to search and examination and possibly confiscated for safety precautions.

The Mavericks, Robert Cray, Eddie Palmieri, Bob Schneider and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Headlining Fest

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 17, 2014) – Hundreds of critically acclaimed entertainers, including The Mavericks, Robert Cray, Eddie Palmieri, Bob Schneider and the world-renowned Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, will soon perform at the 29th annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival, taking place April 10-13, 2014. Fort Worth’s largest annual arts and music festival strives to have a variety of talent each year, and this year is no exception. Throughout the four-day festival, music lovers will hear the sounds of some of the biggest names in blues, country, opera, funk, rock, jazz and classical music.

There will be three stages providing the entertainment platform for all of this year’s performers. The University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington) MAIN Stage, located at 9th and Main Streets in front of the Convention Center, will host entertainers such as country-steeped garage band The Mavericks, internationally admired blues artist Robert Cray, and pop/soul/funk band Mingo Fishtrap. The Sundance Square Stage, located in the brand new Sundance Square Plaza, will host entertainers such as multi-talented Bob Schneider, Grammy Award-winning Eddie Palmieri, the Fort Worth Opera, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and 2013 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Vadym Kholodenko. On the Performing Arts Stage, located at 5th and Houston Streets, performers include funk/folk singer/songwriter Luke Wade and No Civilians, the Motown music-man Larry g(EE), variety performers Alex Zerbe and John Park, and 12 performances from the Chinese Acrobats of Hebei.

More information, including a comprehensive entertainment schedule, full artist bios, website information and social media connections, can be found on the MAIN ST. iPhone app or by visiting www.MainStreetArtsFest.org/experience-main-st./music-on-main/.

The 2014 MAIN ST. headliners include:

  • Thursday, April 10, 2014
    • 12 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. – Chinese Acrobats of Hebei – The incredible strength and physical grace of the Chinese Acrobats of Hebei has rendered crowds awe-struck around the world. Now, the masters of agility and grace will be performing during all four days of the MAIN St. Fort Worth Arts Festival. (Performing Arts Stage)
    • 6:30 p.m. – TuTu Jones – Growing up in a house immersed in rhythm and blues, Jones started playing the drums at age four and hasn’t looked back since. (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
    • 8:30 p.m. – Chris Watson Band – Combining funk, soul and roots into their music, the Chris Watson Band is a powerhouse southern soul group hailing from Fort Worth, Texas. (Sundance Square Stage)
    • 8:30 p.m. – Trent Willmon – Texas singer/ songwriter Trent Willmon brings his fun loving, beer drinking, ready-for-anything attitude every time he sings. (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
    • Friday, April 11, 2014
      • 12 p.m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. – Chinese Acrobats of Hebei – (Performing Arts Stage)
      • 5 p.m. – Fort Worth Opera – Celebrating their first appearance at MAIN ST., 12 members of the Fort Worth Opera will provide a memorable, first-class operatic performance. (Sundance Square Stage)
      • 7 p.m. – 2013 Cliburn Gold Medalist Vadym Kholodenko – Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko captured the attention of audiences and critics from all over the world with his powerful performances marked by vibrant imagination and intelligence. (Sundance Square Stage)
      • 7 p.m. – The California Honeydrops – With their audience growing bigger with each “southern-fried jazz” performance, The California Honeydrops’ mission is to make people dance, sing and enjoy themselves every time they hit the stage. (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
      • 7 p.m. – The Wicks – A folk act infused with an R&B twist, The Wicks put their heart, soul and vocal thunder into every performance and hold nothing back with every song they sing. (Performing Arts Stage)
      • 9 p.m. – Eddie Palmieri – The nine-time Grammy Award winner is known for his charismatic power and bold innovative drive. A true powerhouse of brilliance, Eddie Palmieri and his band continue to thrill audiences with their legendary style. (Sundance Square Stage)
      • 9 p.m. – Robert Cray – With inspiration from George Harrison and Jimi Hendrix, Robert Cray has been internationally admired as a stylist whose innovations have brought new life to blues music. (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
      • 9 p.m. – Luke Wade and No Civilians – Texas-based singer-songwriter Luke Wade, and his band, No Civilians, offer an impressive mash-up of funky, folky pop/rock sound and have been a fixture on Southern stages for more than a decade. (Performing Arts Stage)
      • Saturday, April 12, 2014
        • 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. – Chinese Acrobats of Hebei – (Performing Arts Stage
        • 5 p.m. – Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra – Returning to MAIN ST. for the first time in 15 years, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra performs great symphonic music at the highest level of artistic excellence with the hopes of educating, entertaining and enhancing cultural life. (Sundance Square Stage)
        • 7 p.m. – The Rhythmators – Fort Worth-natives, The Rhythmators, found their sound in Colorado before establishing their name in the DFW music scene. With a mixture of R&B, blues and soul, they entertain crowds by playing original music, as well as blues and soul classics. (Sundance Square Stage)
        • 7 p.m. – Mingo Fishtrap – Pop, soul and funk is an unlikely combination for music, but the sounds have been merged and perfected by the eight-piece band, Mingo Fishtrap. (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
        • 9 p.m. – Bob Schneider – Originally building his career as a working class musician, Bob Schneider has an institution of faithful followers across the U.S. with a mega fan base in Austin. (Sundance Square Stage)
        • 9 p.m. – The Mavericks – This country-steeped garage band emerged from Miami in 1989 and reunited in 2012 after an eight-year hiatus. The Mavericks will bring both new and classic hits, such as “Here Comes The Rain,” and “Dance The Night Away,” to MAIN ST. in 2014. (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
        • 9 p.m. – Larry g(EE) – With a Motown feel to his music, Larry g(EE) strives to make his sound authentic and original for his audience. (Performing Arts Stage)
        • Sunday, April 13, 2014
          • 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 5 p.m. – Chinese Acrobats of Hebei – (Performing Arts Stage)
          • 4:30 p.m. – Latin Express – With more than 30 years of performing under their belt, Latin Express continues to be a mainstay in the DFW Tejano music scene. (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)
          • 6:30 p.m. – Havana NRG – The “NRG” in Havana NRG stands for “New Rhythm Generation,” and this youthful Texas group offers up a hot program of timba-influenced salsa to prove that Havana-inspired sounds are alive in the Lone Star State. (UT Arlington MAIN Stage)

GENERAL INFORMATION

MAIN ST. is annually produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. and presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth.  The Festival is free to the public. Festival hours* for 2014 are:

  • Thursday, April 10: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Friday, April 11: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 12: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 13: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

*Note artists may close at 8 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday, 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 official MAIN ST. iPhone app via the iTunes App Store℠, here: bit.ly/MainStreetiPhone.

ABOUT MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL

The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 29th year in 2014 and is presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth. Official Sponsors for 2014 are Sundance Square, Tarrant County College, the Tarrant Regional Water District, The University of Texas at Arlington, and Wells Fargo. Media Sponsors include the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and Trinity Railway Express (TRE), 92.1 HANK FM (KTFW-FM), and 95.9 The Ranch (KFWR-FM). Supporting Sponsors include RadioShack, the Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association and the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts 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 providing 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 XTO Energy Parade of Lights. These events have an economic impact of more than $27 million annually and attract thousands of visitors to Downtown Fort Worth each year. For more information, visit www.DFWI.org.

# # #

Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival Returning For 29th Year On April 10-13, 2014

FORT WORTH, TEXAS  (February 10, 2014) – The largest arts festival in Texas and one of the finest in the U.S. is returning to Downtown Fort Worth for its 29th year on April 10-13, 2014. Presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth and produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., the four-day MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.) spans more than 27 blocks from the Tarrant County Courthouse to the Fort Worth Convention Center while showcasing 213 hand-selected juried artists.

Also billed as Fort Worth’s largest, free music festival, MAIN ST. features 120 distinct performances throughout the weekend, including local and national entertainment acts and musicians, performance artists, dancers and street performers. Culinary options from local restaurants, beer and wine tastings, family-friendly arts-and-crafts activities and more complete the scene, providing four days of excitement on the historic red bricks of Main Street and throughout the beautiful new Sundance Square Plaza.

“The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival has become the city’s most beloved annual event, and, even more importantly, continues to fulfill its original purpose of changing perspectives and enhancing the quality of life of Downtown Fort Worth,” said Marilyn Ackmann, chairman of the Festivals and Events Committee for Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., the producers of MAIN ST. “The Festival has also been a major catalyst for our city’s cultural growth by welcoming and bringing together people from all sides of life, from local cowboys, foodies and music lovers to artistic mavens, gallery owners and global art dealers and collectors. It is because of these reasons that MAIN ST. has risen to be one of the top-rated, fine arts festivals in the country and received worldwide acclaim and recognition.”

STAR OF THE SHOW: THE ART

In addition to being the largest arts festival in Texas and in the Southwest region of the United States, MAIN ST. is annually ranked as one of the finest arts festivals in the U.S., as referenced in both the Art Fair Sourcebook and The Harris List.

Art enthusiasts can choose from a variety of creative and original works of art from 15+ mediums, such as sculpture, painting, digital, fiber, printmaking, mixed media, ceramics, photography, wood, glass, jewelry, and metalwork, with more than $4.6 million worth of art expected to be sold. MAIN ST. is a juried art fair, which means that artists must submit their work to an esteemed panel of national and local judges before being selected to exhibit. Of the nearly 1,400 applications received, only 213 artists were selected to exhibit at the 2014 festival, including the 26 award-winning artists from the 2013 festival.  Each exhibiting artist will be present at their corresponding booths during festival hours to discuss their work and explain the processes and materials used in displayed works.

Details including artist statements, booth numbers, contact information and more can be found on MAIN ST.’s iPhone application or on its website’s “Fine Art Showcase,” here: www.MainStreetArtsFest.org/Experience-Main-St./The-Art/.

MUSIC ON MAIN!

This year’s MAIN ST. will be jamming with free, live music beginning at 11 a.m. daily during all four days of the festival, bringing to Downtown Fort Worth the biggest names in country, rock, folk, blues, jazz, Latin rock and more.  More than 100 national, regional and local musicians will entertain on three different stages, including performances from the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the Fort Worth Opera, five-time Grammy Award-winning blues guitarist Robert Cray, chart-topping hybrid country / rock vocal group The Mavericks, nine-time Grammy Award-winning Latin jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri, Austin-based eclectic singer / songwriter Bob Schneider, the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition gold medal winner Vadym Kholodenko, and more than 10 performances from the world-famous Chinese Acrobats who will demonstrate acrobatic stunts and feats of balance, flexibility, coordination and strength.

“Performances by Fort Worth’s world-renowned, resident performing arts organizations is an incredibly special and wonderful addition to MAIN ST.,” said Jay Downie, the festival’s producer. “The new Sundance Square Plaza provides a vibrant, engaging venue for the FWSO, Opera and Cliburn performances. The willingness of these organizations to showcase their talents to thousands of patrons during our Downtown celebration is a special opportunity for our guests and visitors.”

Details including a comprehensive entertainment schedule, musician biographies, stage sponsors, and performance dates and times can be found on MAIN ST.’s “Music on MAIN” page, here: www.MainStreetArtsFest.org/Experience-Main-St./Music-On-Main/.

CULINARY ARTS

MAIN ST. is bringing back “festival-favorites” and the best in local cuisine in 2014, allowing revelers to experience a wide range of culinary arts.  Whether it’s tenderloin tamales or brisket tacos from Reata, smoked turkey legs or authentic Texas BBQ from Riscky’s, Louisiana crawfish from the Crawfish Connection, German bratwurst or “Bahama Mamas” from Schmidt’s Of German Village, handmade crepes from Crepe Crazy, zesty chicken fajita nachos or steak fajitas from Bobby’s Fajitas, or original corny dogs from Fletcher’s and McKinney’s, festival-goers have choices to satisfy almost any taste bud.

Soft drinks, smoothies, iced tea and lemonade as well as beer, margaritas, Mojitos, and Texas wines will also be available for sale.  To buy food and beverages, coupons are required, and can be purchased in-person at the MAIN ST. ticket booths or in advance online, here: Store.MainStreetArtsFest.org.

In addition, to help support and raise awareness for water conservation, the Tarrant Regional Water District will be sponsoring free water stations throughout the festival, featuring Fort Worth’s nationally renowned municipal water dispensed with a state-of-the-art U/V filtration system and chilled to perfection.

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

The family-favorite “MAIN ST. Creates!” program, presented by Wells Fargo, is back for 2014 and will anchor the north end of the festival. The hands-on, arts-and-crafts outdoor art studio is home to the Young People’s Art Fair (featuring the work of more than 300 student artists from the Fort Worth community), children’s entertainment, educational programs, and interactive activities, such as ceramic painting, art demonstrations, clay sculpting, and rock climbing.

“MAIN ST. Creates!” is open from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (April 10-12), and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday (April 13). More details can be found online, here: www.MainStreetArtsFest.org/Experience-Main-St./Main-St-Creates.

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 festival support to hospitality services to merchandise sales. Perks for MAIN ST. volunteers include complimentary commemorative MAIN ST. t-shirts, beverages, discounts on official MAIN ST. merchandise, and eligibility for prize giveaways. More details can be found online, here: http://bit.ly/MAINVolunteer.
  • Join The Collector’s Club! The Collector’s Club is an exclusive group of members that enjoy art seminars, social events, complimentary valet parking, dinners, VIP Skybox access, and Art Purchase Gift Certificates, valid towards artwork purchases at MAIN ST. Interested members can join at either the Premier Collector ($325 for singles / $550 for couples) or Young Collector ($225 for singles /  $350 for couples) levels. More details can be found 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 added perks including company logo placements on MAIN ST. press materials and programs, complimentary dinners and beverages, Skybox access, valet parking, commemorative MAIN ST. fleece jackets, and signature entertainment, all alongside Fort Worth’s movers and shakers. Interested businesses can join at either the Gold ($2,500), Silver ($1,500), or Bronze ($750) levels. More details can be found online, here: http://bit.ly/MAINFriend.

NEW FOR 2014

  • 2014 marks the debut of the new Sundance Square Plaza, a pedestrian-only, 55,000-square-foot outdoor venue featuring 32-foot-tall umbrella shade structures, hundreds of jetted interactive water fountains, pools, waterfalls and cascades, a permanent two-tiered multi-purpose stage complete with LED stage lighting and audiovisual equipment, bicycle racks, seating, and indigenous plants and landscaping in the heart of downtown on Main Street between 3rd and 4th Streets. The plaza will serve as the location for the renewed MAIN ST. “Artist’s Square,” as well as the new Performing Arts Stage, one of three entertainment stages throughout the festival.
  • Give the gift of MAIN ST. art with Art Purchase Gift Certificates, valid for any art purchases made from participating artists at the 2014 MAIN ST. The refundable certificates are available in the amounts of $25 – $100 and are currently for sale online, here: Store.MainStreetArtsFest.org.
  • A 2014 MAIN ST. festival guide, complete with information pertaining to parking, public transportation, access, street closures, accommodations, and much more, will be available online in late March.

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.

Nearly three 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 2014 are:

  • Thursday, April 10: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Friday, April 11: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 12: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 13: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

*Note artists may close at 8 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday, 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 official MAIN ST. iPhone app via the iTunes App Store℠, here: bit.ly/MainStreetiPhone.

ABOUT MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL

The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 29th year in 2014 and is presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth. Official Sponsors for 2014 are the Tarrant Regional Water District, Sundance Square, the University of Texas at Arlington, and Wells Fargo.  Media Sponsors include the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and its Trinity Railway Express (TRE), 92.1 HANK FM (KTFW-FM), and 95.9 The Ranch (KFWR-FM). Supporting Sponsors include the Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association and the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts 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 providing 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 XTO Energy Parade of Lights. These events have an economic impact of more than $27 million annually and attract thousands of visitors to Downtown Fort Worth each year. For more information, visit www.DFWI.org.

213 Nationally Recognized Artists Selected to Exhibit at 29th Annual Festival

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (February 24, 2014) – 213 nationally recognized artists have been chosen to exhibit their work at the 29th annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.), taking place on April 10-13, 2014. With attendance increasing each year, more than $4 million worth of art is expected to be sold over the course of the four-day festival.

Art enthusiasts can choose from a variety of creative and original works of art from mediums, such as sculpture, painting, fiber, mixed media, ceramics, wood, glass, and metalwork. MAIN ST. is a juried art fair, which means that artists must submit their work to an esteemed panel of national and local judges before being selected to exhibit. Each exhibiting artist will be present at their corresponding booths during festival hours to discuss their work and explain the processes and materials used in displayed works.

“No matter their level of art know-how (the lesser-experienced and Pablo Picassos alike), tens of thousands of art and festival-loving folks will experience an eye-popping weekend at this year’s MAIN ST.,” said Marilyn Ackmann, chair of the Festivals and Events Advisory Committee for festival producers Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc.

Of the nearly 1,400 applications received, only 213 artists were selected to exhibit at the 2014 festival, including 22 award-winning artists from the 2013 festival:

  • Thomas Diel (Fort Worth, Texas) – Best of Show 2013/Mixed Media – Booth 431: With a background in industrial design, Diel uses the structure of bridges as his inspiration when constructing detailed and carefully crafted furniture.
  • Jennifer Lashbrook (Dallas, Texas) – Best Emerging Artist 2013/Mixed Media – Booth 723: Starting her career as an oil painter, Lashbrook has since become known for her swatch paintings, which involves arranging pieces of paper to form an intricate portrait.
  • Fred Tate (Austin, Texas) – Merit Award 2013/Jewelry – Booth 507: Colliding nature and architecture, jewelry artist Fred Tate combines materials to make unique, modern pieces.
  • George Raab (Millbrook, Ontario) – Merit Award 2013/Graphics & Printmaking – Booth 601: George Raab is an intaglio printmaker whose original prints are made by creating textures and grooves below the surface of a zinc plate.
  • Marvin Blackmore (Durango, Colorado) – Merit Award 2013/Ceramics – Booth 821: Marvin Blackmore makes hand-etched, Native American-inspired pottery using a two-tone, black-on-black technique to create intricate designs.
  • E. Douglas Wunder (Kutztown, Pennsylvania) – Merit Award 2013/Jewelry – Booth 804: E. Douglas Wunder’s jewelry features abstract, geometric images made with mixed metals, which allows each piece to be unique, well-made and pleasing to the eye.
  • Thomas Wargin (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) – Merit Award 2013/Sculpture – Booth 802: Thomas Wargin uses a blend of old and new practices to create his artwork, beginning with sketches and then evolving into clay or carved 3-dimensional forms.
  • Micheal Paul Cole (Hannibal, Missouri) – Merit Award 2013/Photography – Booth 305: Cole uses a methodical three-step development process in his photography to create an organic work of art.
  • Michael Schwegmann (Champaign, Illinois) – Juror Award 2013/Ceramics – Booth 327: Schwegmann creates everyday objects made of clay that are then rendered with porcelain and glaze, purposely leaving handmade marks so viewers can see more of the original piece.
  • John Charbonneau (Santa Fe, New Mexico) – Juror Award 2013/Digital – Booth 618: With a base of multiple original pictures, Charbonneau evolves his images by adding textural features and other photographs to create a surreal work of art.
  • R. Michael Wommack (Langhorne, Pennsylvania) – Juror Award 2013/Drawing & Pastels – Booth 603: Memories from his childhood have inspired Wommack to create a series of drawings revolving around the neighborhood he grew up in.
  • Diane Harty (Frisco, Colorado) – Juror Award 2013/Fiber – Booth 518: Harty uses braided strands of fibers and an antique sewing machine to create her hats, shaping them with her hands as she stiches.
  • Scott Gamble (Cumming, Georgia) – Juror Award 2013/Glass – Booth 714: Gamble focuses on form, color, proportion and texture when creating glass vessels of various shapes and sizes, complete with a sandblasted or acid-polished surface to emphasize its form.
  • John Costin (Tampa, Florida) – Juror Award 2013/Graphics & Printmaking – Booth 619: After hand-drawing his images, Costin uses an “Old World” etching technique on copper plates and applying oil or watercolors to complete his portraits of local birds.
  • Ronald Linton (Hot Springs, Arkansas) – Juror Award 2013/Jewelry – Booth 402: Linton manipulates metal to mimic a flowing material when creating his sophisticated jewelry.
  • Greg Roche (Watsonville, California) – Juror Award 2013/Leather – Booth 418: Roche uses vat-dyed, vegetable-tanned cowhide to create unique handbags that are colored and embossed with his own personal embossing plates.
  • Randall Henry Riemer (Mineral Point, Wisconsin) – Juror Award 2013/Metalwork – Booth 419: Riemer works with steel because of its strength and permanence, transforming the material into objects of beauty and longevity.
  • Michael Madzo (Medora, North Dakota) – Juror Award 2013/Mixed Media – Booth 407: Madzo cuts and layers painted papers and assembles them into images before sewing them together with colored thread.
  • Phill Singer (New Britain, Pennsylvania) – Juror Award 2013/Painting – Booth 616: Wanting his audience to find his work bold, unexpected and imaginative, Singer paints visions of a world where the laws of physics and nature bend to will and imagination.
  • David Mayhew (Fort Collins, Colorado) – Juror Award 2013/Photography – Booth 430: Mayhew’s photography is prompted by the ever-present beauty of the sky and has led him into the world of storm chasing, which has allowed him to catch unimaginable moments on camera.
  • Pam Stern (Fort Worth, Texas) – Juror Award 2013/Sculpture – Booth 328: Using clay as her shaping medium, Pam Stern creates painted and glazed ceramic sculptures that evolve as she works.
  • Matthew Hatala (Danielsville, Georgia) – Juror Award 2013/Wood – Booth 409:

Specializing in rare and domestic woods from all over the world, Hatala uses a lathe to bring life to his material. After reaching the desired shape, he then uses hand tools to shape the outside and excavate the inside.

GENERAL INFORMATION

MAIN ST. is annually produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., and is free to the public. Festival hours* for 2014 are:

  • Thursday, April 10: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Friday, April 11: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 12: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 13: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

*Note artists may close at 8 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday, 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 official MAIN ST. iPhone app via the iTunes App Store℠, here: bit.ly/MainStreetiPhone.

ABOUT MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL

The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 29th year in 2014 and is presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth. Official Sponsors for 2014 are the Tarrant Regional Water District, Sundance Square, The University of Texas at Arlington, and Wells Fargo. Media Sponsors include the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and its Trinity Railway Express (TRE), 92.1 HANK FM (KTFW-FM), and 95.9 The Ranch (KFWR-FM). Supporting Sponsors include the Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association and the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts 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 providing 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 XTO Energy Parade of Lights. These events have an economic impact of more than $27 million annually and attract thousands of visitors to Downtown Fort Worth each year. For more information, visit www.DFWI.org.

2013 Chart-topping Entertainment Includes Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Sister Hazel, Little Texas, Average White Band And More

Hundreds of performers are set to entertain festivalgoers on three stages along the streets of downtown Fort Worth on April 18-21, playing all day and into the night at the city’s largest arts and music festival

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (March 6, 2013) – The city of Fort Worth’s largest arts festival, the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.), is also the city’s largest music festival, and this year’s event will be its biggest since it began 28 years ago. Taking place April 18-21, the 2013 MAIN ST. will be jamming with live music starting at 11 a.m. daily during the festival’s four days, bringing to Downtown Fort Worth the biggest names in country, rock, funk, blues, reggae, jazz and Latin rock.

Hundreds of national, regional and local musicians will perform on three different stages, including the Sundance Square Stage, located at 4th and Houston Streets, the UT Arlington Performing Arts Stage, located at 5th and Main Streets, and the Bank of Texas Stage, located at 9th and Main Streets. Headliners for the 28th annual MAIN ST. include blues/rock/soul guitarist Robert Randolph & The Family Band, chart-topping rock band Sister Hazel, country music favorite Little Texas, the reigning merchant of soul jazz Richard Elliot, one of the best soul and funk bands in the history of music Average White Band, and more than 10 performances from “America’s Got Talent” star William Close’s internationally renowned performance group, MASS Ensemble.

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.

Headliners at 2013 MAIN ST. include:

Thursday, April 18, 2013

  • 2 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 p.m. – MASS Ensemble – MASS Ensemble is an internationally renowned performance group that combines the creative forces of artists, musicians, composers and choreographers. Created by “America’s Got Talent” star William Close, MASS continues to delight audiences throughout the U.S. and abroad through an exciting blend of sculpture, music, dance and the visual arts. (UT Arlington Performing Arts Stage)
  • 6:30 p.m. – Joyce Spencer – As a saxophonist, flautist, singer, songwriter and composer, Joyce Spencer has recently made a strong comeback after a 20-year hiatus. (Bank of Texas Stage)
  • 6:30 p.m. – A Band of Brothers – North Texas-favorite variety band with music and style reflecting a group of storytellers and blues masters who really enjoy giving crowd-pleasing performances of Texas rock, country, blues and funk. (Sundance Square Stage)
  • 8:30 p.m. – Little Texas – With multiple #1 country hits such as “What Might Have Been,” “God Blessed Texas,” “My Love” and “Kick a Little,” the music Little Texas has generated over the years is timeless and blissfully familiar, resulting in one of America’s favorite and most popular rockin’ country bands. (Sundance Square Stage)
  • 8:30 p.m. – First Rush – These progressive rock musicians have been involved in the North Texas music scene since the early 1970s. (Bank of Texas Stage)

Friday, April 19, 2013

  • 1:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 9 p.m. – MASS Ensemble (UT Arlington Performing Arts Stage)
  • 7 p.m. – Carolyn Wonderland – A musical force equipped with the soulful vocals of Janis Joplin and the guitar slinging skills of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carolyn Wonderland reaches into the depths of the Texas blues tradition with the wit of a poet. (Sundance Square Stage)
  • 7 p.m. – The James Hunter Six – The Grammy Award-nominated James Hunter never fails to deliver a classic yet perpetually modern brand of rhythm and blues that captivates listeners across generations. (Bank of Texas Stage)
  • 9 p.m. – Richard Elliot – The reigning merchant of Soul Jazz, Richard Elliot invites loyal fans and newcomers alike to celebrate 25 years since the release of his debut album Trolltown. (Sundance Square Stage)
  • 9 p.m. – Average White Band – Widely regarded as one of the best soul and funk bands in the history of music and perhaps known for their timeless instrumental mega-hit, “Pick Up the Pieces,” the Average White Band’s strength actually lies in their consistently accomplished song-writing, stretching across 40-years, several Gold-selling albums, and multiple Grammy nominations. (Bank of Texas Stage)

Saturday, April 20, 2013

  • 3 p.m., 6 p.m., and 9 p.m. – MASS Ensemble (UT Arlington Performing Arts Stage)
  • 7 p.m. – BettySoo – BettySoo adds welcome edge and grit to the heartbreaker ballads and bell-pure vocals she’s come to be known for. (Bank of Texas Stage)
  • 7 p.m. – The Wailers – Reggae music has never stopped evolving, but, for millions of people from around the world, it’s still defined by the songs of Bob Marley and the Wailers. Here’s YOUR chance to experience the Wailers’ heartbeat rhythms that have inspired so much of what’s followed since, as evidenced by the enduring popularity of the “one-drop” reggae sound. (Sundance Square Stage)
  • 9 p.m. – Robert Randolph & The Family Band – Ranked by Rolling Stone magazine as of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time, Robert Randolph is a pedal steel guitarist who made his name-playing gospel. Randolph’s “Family Band,” made up of cousins Danyell Morgan and Marcus Randolph (bass and drums, respectively) and John Ginty (Hammond B-3 organ) is one of the most intense live acts in all of jamdom! Randolph’s 13-string instrument has a chillingly clear tone and his solos are dotted with howling melodies and perpetually cresting, lightning-fast explorations. (Sundance Square Stage)
  • 9 p.m. – Sister Hazel – Combining elements of acoustic rock, folk and jangle pop, the chart-topping Sister Hazel forges an earthy, melodic sound that highlights the band’s vocal harmonies. Sister Hazel’s eponymous debut hit “All For You” topped the adult alternative charts during the summer of 1997, reaching the national Top 10, and, in the process, propelled their 2nd album, Somewhere More Familiar, to platinum status. (Bank of Texas Stage)

Sunday, April 21, 2013

  • 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 5 p.m. – MASS Ensemble (UT Arlington Performing Arts Stage)
  • 5:30 p.m. – Quebe Sisters Band – The Quebe Sisters Band’s unique brand of music has taken the Americana music scene by storm, performing a refreshing blend of western swing, vintage country, bluegrass, jazz & swing standards, and Texas style fiddling. (Sundance Square Stage)
  • 6:30 p.m. – Los Texmaniacs – Combine a hefty helping of Tex Mex conjunto, simmer with several parts Texas rock, add a daring dash of well-cured blues, and R&B riffs and you’ve cooked up the tasty Texmaniacs groove. (Bank of Texas Stage)

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 visual artists’ booths 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 and a full concert line-up, 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

The 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 Sundance Square, Tarrant Regional Water District, the University of Texas at Arlington and Wells Fargo.  Media Sponsors include the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and its Trinity Railway Express (TRE), TV stations KTVT-TV CBS 11 and KTXA-TV Channel 21, and radio stations 98.7 KLUV (KLUV-FM), 103.7 LITE FM (KVIL-FM), 100.3 JACK FM (KKJK-FM), 92.1 HANK FM (KTFW-FM), 95.9 The Ranch (KFWR-FM), NewsRadio 1080 (KRLD-AM), 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) and Mega 107.5 DFW (KMVK-FM). Supporting Sponsors include Bank of Texas, Chesapeake Energy, the Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association and XTO Energy.

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. These events have an economic impact of more than $27 million annually and attract thousands of visitors to Downtown Fort Worth each year. For more information, visit www.DFWI.org.

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 28th 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 28th 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.

Steve Wariner, Railroad Earth, Gerald Albright, Texas Tornados, JJ Grey & Mofro And More Headlining 2012 Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (March 28, 2012) – Steve Wariner, known for his chart-topping country hits such as “Some Fools Never Learn,” “Holes in the Floor of Heaven” and “All Roads Lead to You,” along with bluegrass/folk-rock band Railroad Earth, Grammy Award-winning jazz musician Gerald Albright, Tex-Mex super group Texas Tornados, and classic soul southern storytellers JJ Grey & Mofro are just a few of this year’s headlining entertainment acts performing at Fort Worth’s largest annual arts and music festival, the 2012 MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.), set to take place on April 19-22.

Sundance Square, Green Mountain Energy and The University of Texas at Arlington are graciously sponsoring the three major stages, bringing hundreds of the best entertainment from our own local community, as well as from across the country and around the world. Tens of thousands of art, music and food lovers annually flock to the free, four-day festival, which showcases a nationally recognized juried art fair, local cuisine, live concerts, performance artists, street performers and more.

Other headliners at this year’s MAIN ST. include:

  • Thursday, April 19, 2012
    • 6:30 p.m. – Bregget Rideau – Established New Orleans jazz musician featuring a masterful blend of R&B, rock and roll, country and gospel (Sundance Square Stage)
    • 6:30 p.m. – Fingerprints – Dallas-based sextet jazz band has been on the musical circuit for 10+ years giving fans more than the formulaic commercial jazz (Green Mountain Energy Stage)
    • 8:30 p.m. – Domino Effect – The highly energetic and technically superb dance hits band covers a variety of genres including funk, rock, hip-pop, pop, jazz, disco and more (Green Mountain Energy Company Stage)
    • 8:30 p.m. – Gerald Albright – Grammy Award-winning jazz musician (Sundance Square Stage)
  • Friday, April 20, 2012
    • 7 p.m. – ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) – With its delightfully vibrant blend of inventive musicality and genre-blurring reach, the California-based alternative rock/folk band’s latest adventure, Man of the World, finds the Cali collective flexing their considerable creative powers to craft their finest album yet (Sundance Square Stage)
    • 7 p.m. – Lisa Haley & the Zydekats – Power vocalist and world musician with an upbringing that combines multi-faceted genres including Americana, Cajun/zydeco, Irish/Celtic, world/pop, folk/bluegrass, blues, jazz and more (Green Mountain Energy Stage)
    • 9 p.m. – JJ Grey & Mofro – Grey’s ability to tell his thought-provoking stories through original songs, informed by a mixture of old-school rhythm & blues and down-home roots rock ‘n’ roll, has carried JJ Grey & Mofro from the backwoods of Florida to hundreds of concert stages across the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia (Sundance Square Stage)
    • 9 p.m. – Texas Tornados – The ultimate Tex-Mex super group, with its infectious, party-ready sound, blends various genres from early rock & roll, Mexican folk music, R&B, blues and more (Green Mountain Energy Stage
  • Saturday, April 21, 2012
    • 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. – Cirque Zuma Zuma – “Must see” acrobatic production of African-style Cirque du Soleil (UT Arlington Performing Arts Stage)
    • 7 p.m. – Carrie Rodriguez – Critically acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician (Green Mountain Energy Stage)
    • 7 p.m. – Craig Chaquico ­– Central figure of the legendary multi-platinum selling rock band Jefferson Starship reinvented himself into an acclaimed guitarist and musician who brings a fresh approach to pop, rock, blues, contemporary jazz and new age music (Sundance Square Stage)
    • 9 p.m. – Railroad Earth – New Jersey sextet band performing bluegrass/folk/rock music sings of our nation’s changing landscape and social ills with a commitment reminiscent of Woody Guthrie (Green Mountain Energy Stage)
    • 9 p.m. – Steve Wariner – Grammy Award-winning country singer, songwriter and musician (Sundance Square Stage)Sunday, April 22, 2012
    • 4:30 p.m. – Beto and the Fairlanes – Texas salsa band that combines high-flying horns, explosive percussion, and on-stage humor with an irresistible stage presence (Green Mountain Energy Stage)
    • 5:30 p.m. – Del Castillo – Considered a powerful symbol of cross-cultural music with their eclectic blend of flamenco, rock, Latin, blues, and world music that is being referred to as “Nuevo Americano” (Sundance Square Stage)
    • 6:30 p.m. – Liberty Band – Critically acclaimed eight-piece ensemble Tejano band has been entertaining fans for nearly 30 years with their oldies medley, versatility and horn performances (Green Mountain Energy Stage)

For additional event information and a full concert line-up, visit MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online 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 27th year in 2012 and is presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth. Official Sponsors for 2012 are CHASE, Sundance Square, Green Mountain Energy Company, Tarrant Regional Water District and the University of Texas at Arlington.  Media Sponsors include KTVT-TV CBS 11, KTXA-TV Channel 21, D Magazine, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and radio stations ?KDMX-FM / MIX 102.9, KHKS-FM / 106.1 KISS FM, KTFW-FM / 92.1 HANK FM, and KFWR-FM / 95.9 The Ranch. Supporting Sponsors include XTO Energy, 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 27 years on Main Street in 2012. For more information, visit www.dfwi.org.

# # #

Media Contact:

Claire Bloxom

817-336-6824 (w)

214-205-8262 (c)

[email protected]

2012 Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival Showcasing 225 Of The Nation’s Finest Artists

 

Media Contact:

Claire Bloxom

817-336-6824 (w)

214-205-8262 (c)

[email protected]

2012 MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL SHOWCASING 225 OF THE NATION’S FINEST ARTISTS

More than 1,400 artists applied to showcase their work at the 27th annual juried art festival

FORT WORTH, TEXAS  (March 20, 2012) – Fort Worth’s nationally-ranked annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.), set for April 19-22, 2012, is priming the heart of the city for four days of art in the city. The juried fine art festival, framed by the “magnificent mile” of downtown Fort Worth’s red-bricked streets and world-class skyline, is a one-of-a-kind outdoor gallery with its highly acclaimed mix of visual, performing, culinary and interactive arts. According to The Harris List and the Art Fair SourceBook, two authoritative reference works on the American art-show circuit, MAIN ST. is ranked as the #1 arts festival in Texas and the 3rd largest arts festival in the U.S.

“Based on our award-winning reputation, the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival attracts the ‘best of the best’ artists from all over the U.S. to exhibit their works in Fort Worth,” said Dr. Marie Holliday, chairman of the Festivals and Events Committee of Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., producer of the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival.

This year, more than 1,400 artists from across the world applied to showcase their work at MAIN ST., and, after a comprehensive, rigid jury process, only 225 were selected to exhibit. The chosen artists’ work in media ranging from ceramics, graphics and printmaking, metalwork, photography, digital, fiber, jewelry, mixed media, sculpture, drawing and pastels, glass, leather, painting, and wood.  More than $4 million worth of art is expected to be sold during the festival, with prices ranging from $50 for quality reproductions to several thousand dollars for signed limited editions or one-of-a-kind treasures.

Some of the finest, most successful artists in the U.S. will be in attendance at this year’s festival, whose work can be seen online in the Festival’s Artists Gallery, and also by downloading the iPhone App from the iTunes Store.  The majority of last year’s Award Winners will be back for 2012, including:

  • Marian “Mimi” Damrauer  (Chicago, Illinois) – Best of Show Winner 2010 and 2011 / Fiber: Award-winning fiber artist Marian “Mimi” Damrauer is best known for her textile collage series of circles, lines and squares that were first influenced by traditional Amish quilts and have evolved into contemporary, graphic fine art pieces for wall decor. Each piece is hand-cut, machine-sewn, and incorporates colorful ethnic hand-dyed fabrics purchased on trips around the world including Scandinavia, India and Africa;
  • Marvin Blackmore (Durango, Colorado) – Merit Award 2011 / Ceramics: Known by art collectors around the world for his intricate, refined design and Native American influences, Blackmore is the creator of a two-tone, black-on-black style of pottery that is hand-etched through multiple layers of clay slips creating increasingly intricate, elegant designs;
  • Harry Roa (Sarasota, Florida) – Merit Award 2011 / Jewelry: Roa’s designs are handcrafted using recycled precious metals and ethical gems using a technique that is a combination of lost wax process and fabrication;
  • E. Douglas Wunder (Kutztown, Pennsylvania) – Merit Award 2011 / Jewelry:  Wunder’s jewelry features abstract geometric images made with titanium and other mixed metals such as gold and silver, making each piece unique, well made and pleasing to the eye;
  • Ayala Naphtali (Fair Haven, New Jersey) – Merit Award 2011 / Jewelry: Naphtali is committed to the use of materials for their color texture and versatility. Often the material is the inspiration for the piece of jewelry being designed. Coconut shell, dyed and carved, is used to achieve rich color and texture, and forging, fabricating and casting are used to create pieces with dimension and volume;
  • Victoria Varga (Cumberland Foreside, Maine) – Merit Award 2011 / Jewelry: Varga’s goal as a jeweler is to create sculpture that enhances the human form while on the body and works independently as small sculpture when off the body. She works with resin and a variety of materials — precious and common — to create unexpected inlays that complement bold sterling silver designs. The result is a very lightweight sculptural jewelry combining modern graphics with luminous backgrounds;
  • Theresa Honeywell (Portland, Oregon) – Merit Award 2011 / Mixed Media: Most of Honeywell’s designs and images are based on vintage tattoo designs and made in the similar labor intense way that a tattoo is made, using only a needle to draw with, but instead of ink on skin, the medium is only thread on thread;
  • Thomas Diel (Fort Worth, Texas) – Best Emerging Artist 2011 / Mixed Media: With a background in industrial design and furniture making, Diel mixes architectural structure to produce mini furniture edifices with an eye for craft and detail;
  • Luis Enrique Gutierrez (Zebulon, North Carolina) – Juror Award 2011 / Ceramics: Gutierrez’ work is based on his Nicoyan Indian heritage. He burnishes his pottery with rubbing stones, no glazes, linking back to indigenous techniques with modern designs;
  • Christy Klug (Austin, Texas) – Juror Award 2011 / Jewelry: Klug’s work is an exploration of line. The black lines on white enamel resemble charcoal on paper and the combination of these drawings and fabricated forms bring art and craft together;
  • Richard Curtner (Cathedral City, California) – Juror Award 2011 / Mixed Media: Curtner is skilled in numerous mediums of art and specializes in textual collage (word collage) presentations and created the commemorative poster for 2011;
  • Michael Brown (Antioch, Illinois) – Juror Award 2011 / Digital: Brown’s hybrid optical art printmaking process can be used to create either animated graphics or three-dimensional imagery;
  • J D Hillberry (Westminster, Colorado) – Juror Award 2011 / Drawing/Pastels: Each original drawing is rendered on white 100% acid free paper or watercolor board. A combination of charcoal, graphite, and carbon pencils are used in each piece, which adds texture and depth;
  • Rene and James Engebretson (Hudson, Wisconsin) – Juror Award 2011 / Glass: Partners in life and in a collaborative art process, the Engebretsons have been creating nature inspired glass works for more than 20 years;
  • Seung Lee (Cathedral City, California) – Juror Award 2011 / Graphics/Printmaking: Lee’s ink paintings on woodcut with collage of pre-painted paper and woodblock print are influenced by the two poles of the ying and yang;
  • Carol Hearty (Carmel, New York) – Juror Award 2011 / Leather: Hearty has traveled and studied in Boston, California and throughout Asia, places and influences that infuse her work with imagination. Her leather bags are confoundingly simple, intuitively mathematical, two-dimensional constructs that zip into inspiringly unlikely bags;
  • Jeffrey Zachmann (Fergus Falls, Minnesota) – Juror Award 2011 / Metalwork: Zachmann’s work is seen not only as sculptural machines, but also as studies in line, shape, color and motion. His goal is to make sculptures intriguing static pieces, that when set in motion, become captivating;
  • Ginny Herzog (Minneapolis, Minnesota) – Juror Award 2011 / Painting: Herzog pieces portions of different architectural elements that are unrelated to each other to construct new, intriguing, familiar, yet unfamiliar architectural forms in mixed media paintings;
  • Randy Dana (Mount Vernon, Washington) – Juror Award 2011 / Photography: Dana photographs flowers and fruit incorporating a variety of objects as content and backgrounds. It is his goal as artist and photographer to encourage a closer examination of ordinary things by presenting them in unusual context;
  • Marilyn Endres and Eucled Moore (Driftwood, Texas) – Juror Award 2011 / Wood: Endres and Moore design segmented wood turnings, some inlayed with as many as 80,000 European glass beads placed one at a time, using only the natural colors of the woods.

“The hospitality at the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival is so welcoming,” said Marian “Mimi” Damrauer, MAIN ST.’s Best of Show Winner in both 2010 and 2011. “The people are friendly and savvy buyers.  It’s great to do a show where the customers are educated about the art and are so happy to have you be visiting their town. I completely enjoy getting into the spirit of Texas…. everything is oversized, especially the ‘heart’ put into this fantastic show!”

“The MAIN ST. producers run an extremely professional festival,” she added. “Not only are they always helpful to the artists, but the vibe is fun, which makes MAIN ST. my favorite and a highlight of the year. The city of Fort Worth is really behind the festival, too, and works closely with the show producers to make this event truly one of the best in the country.”

For additional event information, visit MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online at www.MainStreetArtsFest.org, “like” its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MainStreetArtsFest, follow it on Twitter at http://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 27th year in 2012 and is presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth. Official Sponsors for 2012 are CHASE, Sundance Square, Green Mountain Energy Company, Tarrant Regional Water District and the University of Texas at Arlington.  Media Sponsors include KTVT-TV CBS 11, KTXA-TV Channel 21, D Magazine, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and radio stations KDMX-FM / MIX 102.9, KHKS-FM / 106.1 KISS FM, KTFW-FM / 92.1 HANK FM, and KFWR-FM / 95.9 The Ranch. Supporting Sponsors include XTO Energy, 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 27 years on Main Street in 2012. For more information, visit www.dfwi.org.

# # #

Nation’s 3rd Largest Arts Festival Celebrating 27th Year, April 19-22, 2012

FORT WORTH, TEXAS  (February 6, 2012) – On April 19-22, 2012, Downtown Fort Worth will turn its streets over to the 27th annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.), showcasing a nationally recognized juried art fair, local cuisine, live concerts, performance artists, street performers and more.  Known as the crown jewel of Texas’ events, MAIN ST. is 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’s event is expected to be filled with enchanting sights and sounds as tens of thousands of fine artists, dancers, performance artists, musicians, exhibitors, food vendors and art lovers take part in the annual four-day celebration. Lining the historic bricks of Main Street will be 225-juried artists exhibiting and selling one-of-a-kind and limited-edition works of art, all covering a broad spectrum of creativity. Also included in this year’s MAIN ST. is a performance program on three separate stages – the Sundance Square Stage, the Green Mountain Energy Company Stage, and the UT Arlington Performing Arts Stage – each of which will host local and national entertainers such as Grammy Award-winning country singer Steve Wariner, Railroad Earth, ALO and Cirque Zuma Zuma. 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 could not be more excited to celebrate our 27th year with the Fort Worth community this year,” said Dr. Marie Holliday, chairman of the Festivals and Events Committee for Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., producer of MAIN ST. “We’ve planned an amazing weekend filled with returning favorites as well as new additions for every artistic taste.”

JURIED ART FAIR

Visual art is the centerpiece of MAIN ST. This year, 225 artists were selected from 1,475 applications to exhibit their work, ranging from sculpture, painting and photography to woodcarvings, glasswork, jewelry, fashion, mixed media and more. More than $2 million worth of art is expected to be sold during the festival, at prices ranging from $50 for signed, limited edition prints to thousands for original works.

TASTE OF FORT WORTH

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

Favorite menu items range from tamales and burritos to wraps and gyros, and turkey legs and funnel cakes to barbecue, burgers and hot dogs. Soft drinks, smoothies, iced tea and lemonade as well as beer, margaritas and Texas wines from Times Ten Cellars will also be available. Revelers can also save time and skip the lines by purchasing food and beverage coupons in advance through April 18. Strips of 10 coupons cost $10 and are available for sale at the Festival Store, located online at http://store.Mainstreetartsfest.org.  Shipping is free.

ENTERTAINMENT

Fort Worth’s largest arts festival is also the city’s largest free music festival. This year, more than 300 national, regional and local musicians will perform on three different stages, including Steve Wariner, JJ Grey & Mofro, Railroad Earth, Gerald Albright and Del Castillo. Check www.MainStreetArtsFest.org for a complete lineup, performance dates and times.

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 2,200 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.
    • Contact Diana Hahn via phone (817-336-2787), email ([email protected]) or sign up online – 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. The Club simply adds an element of fun to the overall shopping experience. 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 up to the amount of his or her pledge (additional certificates available)?; private reception and auction?; seminar on collecting art?; drinks at GRACE on Thursday; access to the Skybox featuring Gerald Albright (includes dinner and beverages)?; valet parking?; Collector’s Club name tag?; and artist labels to promote your purchases.
    • Premier Collector Level – $300 Single and $500 Couple
    • Young Collector Level (under 45) – $150 Single and $250 Couple
    • 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 presented by Sundance Square 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

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. That first 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 2012 are:

  • Thursday, April 19, 2012: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Friday, April 20, 2012: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 21, 2012: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 22, 2012: 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 http://www.facebook.com/MainStreetArtsFest, follow it on Twitter at http://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 27th year in 2012 and is presented by Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth. Official Sponsors for 2012 are CHASE, Sundance Square, Green Mountain Energy Company, Tarrant Regional Water District and the University of Texas at Arlington.  Media Sponsors include KTVT-TV CBS 11, KTXA-TV Channel 21, D Magazine, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and radio stations ?KDMX-FM? / MIX 102.9, KHKS-FM / 106.1 KISS FM, KTFW-FM / 92.1 HANK FM, and KFWR-FM / 95.9 The Ranch. Supporting Sponsors include XTO Energy, 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 27 years on Main Street in 2012. For more information, visit www.dfwi.org.

# # #

MAIN ST. Wins Grand Pinnacle Award

MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL WINS INTERNATIONAL 2011 GRAND PINNACLE AWARD

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (October 5, 2011) — MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival brought home the Gold at the International Festivals & Events Association’s (IFEA) 56th Annual World Convention & Expo, held for the first time in the organization’s history in Downtown Fort Worth, Texas, at the Worthington Renaissance Hotel.

MAIN ST. competed with the world’s top festivals and events to win the 2011 Grand Pinnacle Award, in addition to more than a dozen other awards, for its outstanding marketing campaign.

Sponsored by industry leader Haas and Wilkerson Insurance, the professional competition draws entries from among the world’s top festivals and events. Winning entries came from organizations as diverse as the 500 Festival, Indianapolis, IN; Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Denver, CO; Portland Rose Festival, Portland OR and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, Pasadena, CA.

International contenders included such diverse event organizations as Canada Place, Canada, Ham Pyeong Butterfly Festival, South Korea, World Gourmet Summit, Singapore, Edmonton Heritage Festival, Canada; Ludwig Van Beethoven Easter Festival, Poland; Rotterdam Festivals, The Netherlands; Festival Lent, Slovenia and Sentosa Development Corporation, Singapore.

MAIN ST. has won the IFEA Grand Pinnacle Award (best in its class) for the third time in four years for its marketing and promotions. The Grand Pinnacle is considered the highest honor an event producer can receive from IFEA. This year, in addition to the Grand Pinnacle Award, MAIN ST. won six Gold, four Silver and four Bronze IFEA awards in various categories including advertising, merchandising and printed materials. The DFWI-produced Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights won one silver awards.

Each year, the event production team, consisting of the Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. staff and volunteers, Fort Worth-based Pinkerton Design, and Fort Worth-based ad/PR firm Concussion, pulls together many creative elements to make it the largest free, four-day visual arts and entertainment festival in the Southwest.

“The Grand Pinnacle award is a significant recognition of the hard work put into not only the event but into our core mission and belief, and it sends a strong message to a global community that we work hard to excel at what we do, and care for the product we put forward to our participants, attendees and our supporters,” said Dr. Marie Holliday, Chair of the Festivals and Events Committee at Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. “The Grand Pinnacle Award underscores the fact that we are a quality event, and are perceived as such among our peers.”

“We would like to congratulate all of our Pinnacle winners for their outstanding entries into this year’s competition,” said IFEA President and CEO, Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE. “The IFEA/Haas and Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Competition recognizes the outstanding accomplishments by festivals and events around the world. Striving for the highest degree of excellence in festival and event promotions and operations in every budget level and every corner of the globe, this competition has not only raised the standards and quality of the festivals and events industry to new levels, but also shows how event producers can use innovation and creativity to achieve a higher level of success. Congratulations to Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. on winning this outstanding award.”

ABOUT MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL

MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival will celebrate its 27th year on April 19-22, 2012, and is presented by Coors Light. Official Sponsors are CHASE, Sundance Square, Green Mountain Energy Company, University of Texas at Arlington, Tarrant Regional Water District, and XTO Energy. Media Sponsors include CBS 11/TXA 21 and D Magazine, as well as radio stations Mix 102.9, 106.1 KISS FM, 95.9 FM The Ranch, and 92.1 KTFW-FM. Supporting Sponsors include Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and Frost Bank. For more information, please visit www.MainStreetArtsFest.org.

ABOUT CHESAPEAKE ENERGY PARADE OF LIGHTS

Chesapeake Energy Corporation is the Title Sponsor of the Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights, which is produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. and presented by CHASE. Sponsors include Sundance Square, Coors Distributing Company, XTO Energy and GM Financial. Media Sponsors include the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, CBS11/TXA21, 106.1 Kiss FM, Lone Star 92.5, 102.1 The Edge, 97.1 The Eagle, Mix 102.9, RANCH 95.9 and KTFW 92.1. The Sundance Square Christmas Tree is presented courtesy of Sundance Square, with carbon-neutral power provided by Green Mountain Energy. For more information, visit www.fortworthparadeoflights.org.

ABOUT DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH INITIATIVES, INC.

The festivals are 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. produces MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and the Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights presented by CHASE on November 25, 2011, 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. For more information, visit www.dfwi.org.

ABOUT IFEA

Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) is The Premiere Association Supporting and Enabling Festival and Event Professionals Worldwide. In partnership with global affiliates under the umbrellas of IFEA Africa, IFEA Asia, IFEA Australia, IFEA Europe, IFEA Latin America, IFE Middle East and IFEA North America, the organization’s common vision is for, “A Glboally United Industry that Touches Lives in a Positive Way through Celebration.” The Association offers the most complete source of ideas resources, information, education and networking for festival and event professionals worldwide. For more information, go to ifea.com.

Awards Listing – 2011:

MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival
(Budget $750,000 – $1.5M)

Grand Pinnacle Award

Gold Awards (6):
Best Miscellaneous Printed Materials (multiple page)
Best Outdoor Billboard
Best Event Invitation
Best Sponsor Solicitation Package
Best Sponsor Follow-up Package
Best Miscellaneous Clothing

Silver Awards (4):
Best TV Promotion (ad spot or PSA)
Best Organizational Website (dfwi.org)
Best Ad Series
Best Environmental Program

Bronze Awards (4):
Best Miscellaneous Media (iPhone app)
Best Promotional Poster
Best Commemorative Poster
Best Single Newspaper Display Ad

Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights
(Budget under $250,000)

Silver Award (1):
Best Full Length TV Program (local – TXA-21 produced live broadcast)
# # #

2011 TFEA Marketing Awards

by: Claire Bloxom 817-336-6824 [email protected]

MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL WINS 21 AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN EVENT MARKETING, INCLUDING COVETED “ZENITH AWARD”

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (July 21, 2011) — The 2011 MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.) has set another record, taking home 21 awards for excellence in event marketing and management, including the coveted Zenith Award – the number one, best-overall award. The awards were announced at the Texas Festivals and Events Association (TFEA) Annual Conference in Corpus Christi, Texas, during the weekend of July 7-10, 2011.

TFEA’s Marketing Awards are given annually in recognition of top marketing efforts in the festivals-and-events category. Entries are judged by a panel of both in-state and out-of-state experts assembled by the International Festivals and Events Association.

“We are extremely excited to be recognized for our efforts by the Texas Festival and Events Association,” said Marie A. Holliday, D.M.D., chair of the Festivals and Events Committee for Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives Inc., producer of MAIN ST. “This would not have been possible without the hard work of many dedicated individuals, such as our F&E Committee, dedicated staff members and our Event Management Team. Our thanks, as well, goes to our sponsors, and the creative minds at Pinkerton Design and Concussion.”

In tough competition with other festivals and events throughout the state with annual budgets of $750,000 and up, such as the Alamo Bowl and Fiesta San Antonio, MAIN ST. took home 16 first-place wins, including Best T.V. Promotion, Best Social Media Site and Best Ad Series, in addition to four other second-place wins.

ABOUT MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL 

MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival will celebrate its 27th year on April 19-22, 2012, and is presented by Coors Light. Official Sponsors are CHASE, Sundance Square, Green Mountain Energy Company, University of Texas at Arlington, Tarrant Regional Water District, and XTO Energy. Media Sponsors include CBS 11/TXA 21 and D Magazine, as well as radio stations Mix 102.9, 106.1 KISS FM, 95.9 FM The Ranch, and 92.1 KTFW-FM. Supporting Sponsors include Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and Frost Bank. For more information, please visit www.MainStreetArtsFest.org.

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. produces MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and the Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights presented by CHASE on November 25, 2011, 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. For more information, visit www.dfwi.org.

# # #

More than 200 of the nation’s finest artists exhibiting

by: Claire Bloxom 817-336-6824 [email protected]

MORE THAN 200 OF THE NATION’S FINEST ARTISTS EXHIBITING AT 2011 MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL

The festival is the largest arts festival in Texas and 6th largest in the U.S.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – March 7, 2011 – More than 200 artists, selected from 1,501 applicants, will be exhibited at the 26th annual 2011 MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.) The free, four-day event will take place April 14-17, bringing thousands of visitors and locals to downtown Fort Worth. Known as the crown jewel of Texas’ events, MAIN ST. is ranked as the largest arts festival in Texas and the 6th largest in the U.S. by The Harris List and the Art Fair Sourcebook, two authoritative reference works on the American art-show circuit.

Exhibiting artists work in media ranging from sculpture, painting, ceramics and photography to woodcarvings, glasswork, jewelry, fashion, multimedia and more. More than $4 million worth of art is expected to sold during the festival, at prices ranging from $50 for signed, limited edition pieces to thousands for original works.

Some of the finest, most successful artists in the country will be in attendance at this year’s festival, including the majority of last year’s Award Winners, such as:

  • Marian “Mimi” Damrauer (Chicago) — Best of Show Winner 2010 — Award-winning fiber artist Marian “Mimi” Damrauer is best known for her textile collages series of circles, lines and squares. All of Mimi Designs’ art is handmade and incorporates her colorful hand-dyed fabrics. She also has a travel series that incorporates ethnic fabrics from her trips and collections from Scandinavia, India and Africa;
  • Marvin Blackmore (Durango, Colorado) — Merit Award 2010: Ceramics — Blackmore is the creator of the two-tone black-on-black style of pottery hand etching through multiple layers of clay slips revealing intricate designs; 
  • Larry Fielder (Velarde, New Mexico) — Merit Award 2010: Wood — Over a 35 year career, Fielder has specialized in everything from architecture, functional form and decorative objects, and is now working primarily in wood with carved and sandblasted surfaces on vessels and wall pieces that are then stained or painted and waxed; 
  • Chris Dahlquist (Kansas City, Missouri) — Merit Award 2010: Photography — Dahlquist’s photographic mixed media has won many awards, and is in hundreds of private, corporate and municipal collections;
  • Harold Siefert (Houston) — Merit Award 2010: Sculpture —Siefert is a fine artist specializing in cast and welded metal sculptures for both commercial and residential projects;
  • Anthony Jacobus (Fort Worth, Texas) — Best Emerging Artist 2010: Photography —Serving as stylist, costumer and director, Jacobus’ work makes each photo like a mini-production. He has been making photographs for more than 15 years and continues to seek out new ways to re-invent his work;
  • Michael Brown (Antioch, Illinois) — Juror Award 2010: Digital —Brown’s hybrid optical art printmaking process can be used to create either animated graphics or three-dimensional imagery;
  • Jeffrey Cannon (Austin, Texas) — Juror Award 2010: Drawing/Pastels — Cannon’s large palette of soft pastels are often handmade on paper or prepared board, working from the background forward and finger-blended, using no fixatives during the process, to ensure the preservation of details and color harmonies; 
  • Rene and James Engebretson (Hudson, Wisconsin) — Juror Award 2010: Glass — Partners in life and in a collaborative art process, the Engebretsons have been creating nature inspired glass works for more than 20 years;
  • George Raab (Millbrook, Ontario, Canada) — Juror Award 2010: Graphics and Printmaking — Raab’s landscape intaglios prints incorporate etching, aquatint, engraving, photo-etching, mezzotint, drypoint and watercolor;
  • Harry Roa (Sarasota, Florida) — Juror Award 2010: Jewelry —All of Roa’s designs are handcrafted using a combination lost wax process and fabrication;
  • Steve Edgar (Tallahassee, Florida) — Juror Award 2010: Leather — Edgar’s goal is to bring back old world craftsmanship, creating one-of-a-kind items including briefcases, handbags, and doctor bags with antique closures that had been collected over the years;
  • Elaine Unzicker (Ojai, California) — Juror Award 2010: Metalwork — Unzicker combines stainless and anodized aluminum chain mail interlocked by hand to create unique purses and wearable art;
  • Richard Curtner (Cathedral City, California) — Juror Award 2010: Mixed Media — Curtner is skilled in numerous mediums of art and specializes in textual collage (word collage) presentations; 
  • Julie Havel (Denver) — Juror Award 2010: Painting — The contemporary painter uses five to six layers of acrylic paint, combinations of warm and cool colors, shapes and an array of heavy textures including sand, papers, leaves and gels.

For additional event information and a complete list of exhibiting artists, visit MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online at www.MainStreetArtsFest.org. Festival information can also be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mainstreetartsfest, on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mainstreetfest, or by downloading 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 26th year in 2011 and is presented by Coors Light. Official Sponsors for 2011 are CHASE, Sundance Square, Green Mountain Energy, University of Texas at Arlington and XTO Energy. Media Sponsors include CBS 11/TXA 21 andD Magazine, as well as radio stations Mix 102.9, 106.1 KISS FM, 95.9 FM The Ranch and Country Legends 92.1. Supporting Sponsors include 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. produces MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and 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, all building to a sterling celebration of 26 years on MAIN ST. in 2011. For more information, visit www.dfwi.org.

# # #

Better Than Ezra Headlining 2011 Main St. Fort Worth Festival

by: Claire Bloxom 817-336-6824 [email protected]

BETTER THAN EZRA HEADLINING 2011 MAIN ST. FORT WORTH ARTS FESTIVAL

More than 300 national, regional and local musicians will perform on three different stages in downtown Fort Worth April 14-17

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – February 10, 2011 – Better Than Ezra, known for its chart-topping hits such as “Good,” “Desperately Wanting” and “Juicy,” is just one of the powerhouse entertainers headlining this year’s MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST], Fort Worth’s largest annual arts and music festival. The New Orleans-based alternative rock band will perform on Friday night, April 15, at 9 p.m., on the Green Mountain Energy Company Stage, located at Main and 9th Streets in downtown Fort Worth.

Better Than Ezra will join more than 300 national, regional and local musicians and entertainers at the 26th annual MAIN ST., taking place April 14-17. Tens of thousands of fans annually flock to the free, four-day festival, which showcases a nationally recognized juried art fair, local cuisine, live concerts, performance artists, street performers and more.

Other headliners at this year’s MAIN ST. include:

  • Thursday, April 14, 2011
    • 8:30 p.m. – Bettye LaVette – One of the greatest soul singers in American music history (Sundance Square Stage);
  • Friday, April 15, 2011
    • 1:30 p.m. – Chinese Acrobats of Hebei  “Must see” production combines Chinese traditions, incredible acrobatics, stunning costumes and a beautiful soundtrack (UT Arlington Performing Arts Stage – other performances include Friday, April 15, at 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., and Saturday, April 16, at 1:30 p.m., 4:45 p.m., and 9 p.m.);
    • 7 p.m. – Big Sam’s Funky Nation – Established New Orleans band featuring a masterful blend of a rock, with an improv-style associated with jazz and a horn-heavy front section that’s the hallmark of funk (Green Mountain Energy Company Stage);
    • 7 p.m. – Ravi Coltrane – Critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated saxophonist, bandleader, and composer (Sundance Square Stage);
    • 9 p.m. – Better Than Ezra – Chart-topping New Orleans-based alternative rock band (Green Mountain Energy Company Stage);
    • 9 p.m. – Keb’ Mo’ – Three-time Grammy-winner singer-songwriter and guitarist (Sundance Square Stage);
  • Saturday, April 16, 2011
    • 7 p.m. – Mia Borders – One of the fastest-rising stars from New Orleans, the songwriter performs an energetic blend of funk, soul, and contemporary music (Green Mountain Energy Company Stage);
    • 9 p.m. – Ozomatli – A notorious urban-Latino-and-beyond collision of hip hop and salsa, dancehall and cumbia, samba and funk, merengue and comparsa, East LA R&B and New Orleans second line, Jamaican ragga and Indian raga (Green Mountain Energy Company Stage);
    • 9 p.m. – Rosanne Cash – Grammy-nominated country singer-songwriter and eldest daughter of legendary Johnny Cash (Sundance Square Stage);
  • Sunday, April 17, 2011
    • 3:30 p.m. – Joe McBride  One of today’s most popular contemporary jazz musicians (Sundance Square Stage);
    • 4:30 p.m. – Latin Express – This sensational jazz and R&B band from Fort Worth has been on the musical circuit for more than 30 years (Green Mountain Energy Company Stage);
    • 5:30 p.m. – Brave Combo – America’s premier contemporary polka band, and a Grammy winning one at that (Sundance Square Stage);
    • 6:30 p.m. – Cienfuegos – 11-piece salsa orchestra that has one goal at each performance — to keep the dancers moving (Green Mountain Energy Company Stage).

For additional event information and a full concert line-up, visit MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online at www.MainStreetArtsFest.org. Festival information can also be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mainstreetartsfest, on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mainstreetfest, or by downloading 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 26th year in 2011 and is presented by Coors Light. Official Sponsors for 2011 are CHASE, Sundance Square, Green Mountain Energy, University of Texas at Arlington and XTO Energy. Media Sponsors include CBS 11/TXA 21 andD Magazine, as well as radio stations WRR 101.1, Mix 102.9, 102.1 The Edge, 106.1 KISS FM, 95.9 FM The Ranch, Country Legends 92.1, and Lone Star 92.5. Supporting Sponsors include 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. produces MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and the Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights, which includes lighting ceremonies for the city’s Christmas tree. These events have an economic impact of more than $19 million annually and attract more than 500,000 visitors to downtown Fort Worth each year, all building to a sterling celebration of 26 years on MAIN ST. in 2011. For more information, visit www.dfwi.org.

# # #

Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival Celebrating 26th Year, April 14-17, 2011

Main St. Fort worth arts festival celebrating 26th year, april 14-17, 2011

Known as the crown jewel of Texas’ events, the free festival in downtown Fort Worth is ranked as the #1 arts festival in Texas and the 6th largest arts festival in the U.S.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS — January 12, 2011 — On April 14-17, the 26th annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.) will take place in downtown Fort Worth, showcasing a nationally recognized juried art fair, savory food, live concerts, performance artists, street performers and more. Known as the crown jewel of Texas’ events, MAIN ST. is ranked as the #1 arts festival in Texas and the 6th largest arts festival in the U.S. byThe 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 fascinating sights and sounds as tens of thousands of fine artists, dancers, performance artists, musicians, exhibitors, food vendors and art lovers take part in the four-day celebration. More than 200 juried artists will line the historic red bricks of Main Street, weaving a diverse blend of texture and shape down the “magnificent mile” of visual art booths, performance stages and intriguing characters to create an explosion of color against the turn-of-the-century buildings and modern skyscrapers of downtown Fort Worth.

“No matter their level of art know-how (the lesser-experienced and Pablo Picassos alike), tens of thousands of art and festival-loving folks experience an eye-popping weekend each year at MAIN ST.,” said Jay Downie, events director for Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives Inc., producer of MAIN ST.

JURIED ART FAIR

Visual art is the centerpiece of MAIN ST. This year, 229 artists were selected from nearly 1,500 applications to exhibit their work, ranging from sculpture, painting and photography to woodcarvings, glasswork, jewelry, fashion, mixed media and more. More than $4 million worth of art is expected to sold during the festival, at prices ranging from $50 for signed, limited edition prints to thousands for original works.

TASTE OF FORT WORTH

MAIN ST. brings hundreds 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 Cantina Laredo. Favorite menu items range from tamales and burritos, wraps and gyros, and turkey legs and funnel cakes to barbecue, burgers and hot dogs. Soft drinks, smoothies, iced tea and lemonade as well as beer, margaritas and Texas wines are also available. Save time and skip the lines by purchasing food and beverage coupons in advance through April 13. Strips of 12 coupons cost $8 at the Festival Store, located online at www.MainStreetArtsFest.org.

ENTERTAINMENT

Fort Worth’s largest arts festival is also the city’s largest music festival. This year, more than 300 national, regional and local musicians will perform on three different stages, including Bettye LaVette, Rosanne Cash, Ravi Coltrane and the Chinese Acrobats. Check www.MainStreetArtsFest.org for a complete lineup, performance dates and times.

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. That first 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 2011 are:

  • Thursday, April 14, 2011: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Friday, April 15, 2011: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 16, 2011: 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 17, 2011: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

For additional event information, visit MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online at www.MainStreetArtsFest.org, visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mainstreetartsfest, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mainstreetfest , 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 26th year in 2011 and is presented by Coors Light. Official Sponsors for 2011 are CHASE, Sundance Square, Green Mountain Energy, University of Texas at Arlington and XTO Energy. Media Sponsors include CBS 11/TXA 21, D Magazine and the Star-Telegram as well as radio stations WRR 101.1, Mix 102.9, 102.1 The Edge, 106.1 KISS FM, 95.9 FM The Ranch, Country Legends 92.1, and Lone Star 92.5. Supporting Sponsors include Coca-Cola Bottling Company of North Texas, Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association, Fort Worth Transportation Authority.

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. produces MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and the Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights, which includes lighting ceremonies for the city’s Christmas tree. These events have an economic impact of more than $19 million annually and attract more than 500,000 visitors to downtown Fort Worth each year, all building to a sterling celebration of 26 years on MAIN ST. in 2011. For more information, visit www.dfwi.org.

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Audible Art: Music On MAIN Jams

FORT WORTH–MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.) surveys 25 years in music–from icons Leon Russell and Kirk Whalum to young guns Jonny Lang and Los Lonely Boys–in its 2010 Music on MAIN schedule of live concerts.

“We’re celebrating 25 years of Music on MAIN with the soundtrack of a quarter century,” Dr. Marie Holliday, Entertainment Committee chair for festival producer Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., said. “The music schedule is a retrospective of audible art with a range that encompasses institutions of the music scene as well as new voices.”

MAIN ST. jams with live music daily on three stages at the 25th annual festival April 8-11. Follow the full concert line-up, including local bands and festival favorites, at www.mainstreetartsfest.org.

ROCK
Los Lonely Boys, the latest little band from Texas, brings Texican rock to MAIN ST. for the festival’s top-billed concert at 9 p.m. Saturday, April 10 on the Sundance Square Stage. Los Lonely Boys’ tour follows its latest release, 1969, which bridges generations with covers of 1969 hits like Santana’s “Evil Ways” and The Beatles’ “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window.”

Leon Russell singled with tunes like “Lady Blue” and “Tightrope” but is best known as a session man whose work has spanned musical eras in collaboration with artists from Jerry Lee Lewis to The Rolling Stones. See him at 7 p.m. Friday, April 9 on the Green Mountain Energy Company Stage.

BLUES
Blues wunderkind Jonny Lang isn’t 30 but has spent half of his life onstage. Lang recorded his first independent album at age 14, just two years after he took up the guitar, and his multiplatinum release, Lie to Me, came at age 16. Hear Lang live at 9 p.m. Friday, April 9 on the Sundance Square Stage.

JAZZ
Jazz holds sway with a marquee performance by smooth jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum, an eight-time Grammy nominee and icon of the Caravan of Dreams era of live music downtown. See his opening night concert at 9 p.m. Thursday, April 8 on the Sundance Square Stage.

Jazz pianist Patrice Rushen takes the Green Mountain Energy Company Stage at 9 p.m. Saturday, April 10. Rushen will be joined onstage by friends Eric Marienthaland award-winning guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr., both stars in their own right.

DEFIES CLASSIFICATION
Voted a Windy City favorite in the 2009 Chicago Reader poll, Poi dog pondering fuses rock, soul, orchestral, electronic, Americana, rock band disco and international music to carve out a genre of its own. See and hear the ensemble, which has roots in Austin’s music scene, at 9 p.m. Friday, April 9 on the Green Mountain Energy Company Stage.
Brave Combo’s nuclear polka ignites the Green Mountain Energy Company Stage in concert at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 11.

LATIN & TEJANO
If it’s Latin, Latin Express plays it for a North Texas audience that has made these hometown heroes a MAIN ST. tradition. Catch their show at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, April 11 on the Green Mountain Energy Company Stage.

GOSPEL
James Kings Gospel opens the Sunday (April 11) music schedule at 11 a.m. on the Sundance Square Stage, but the influence of this sound will be felt across the music schedule, whether in performances by preacher’s son Kirk Whalum or in Jonny Lang’s Grammy winning and nominated work.

COUNTRY
Kelly Willis’ alternative country sound was honed in Austin’s music scene and blends with contemporary to cowboy country performers appearing across the Music on MAIN schedule of concerts on stage and street. See Willis at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 10 on the Green Mountain Energy Company Stage.

MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 25th year April 8-11 with a celebration of fine arts and crafts, music, film and food a mile long, stretching from the Tarrant County Courthouse to the Fort Worth Convention Center.

More than 200 juried artists and fine crafts exhibitors will line brick-paved Main Street, joined by musicians and dancers on three stages. Performance artists and food and drink vendors complete the scene.

The festival is among the most honored shows in its class. MAIN ST. is ranked among the top shows nationwide in Art Fair SourceBook, the bible of the art show world, and was chosen one of the American Bus Association’s Top 100 Events in North America for group travel in 2010.

MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival is presented by Coors Light and produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. Festival hours will be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, April 8; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 9-10; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 11, 2010. Admission is free to the public.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Media should contact Diane Wolfe at metro 817-577-1779 [email protected].

For public information, visit MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival online, and get all the news from MAIN ST. as a Facebook festival fan at http://www.facebook.com/mainstreetartsfest.

Media opps: apps, art, film and fun make news

FORT WORTH, Texas—MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival (MAIN ST.) celebrates its 25th year April 8-11 and is making news in fine art, film, technology, environmental stewardship and just plain fun.

Opportunities for coverage in this year’s festival include:

Fun: there’s an app for that
MAIN ST.’s new iPhone app and social media communities combine to make the 25th annual downtown art festival a state-of-the-art experience. Visit www.mainstreetartsfest.org to get started.

MAIN man: 25-year volunteer John Gantt
He’s seen it all: John Gantt has volunteered in each of the 25 MAIN ST. festivals, and for him, it’s a family affair. Gantt met his wife, Kris, at the event, and the couple married in a ceremony on the MAIN ST. main stage the night before opening of the 20th annual show. Talk to MAIN ST.’s main man for a 25-year perspective on downtown’s big event.

An artist’s perspective
Fort Worth artist Gregory Story travels more than 20,000 miles a year to show at major art festivals from coast to coast, but there will be no place like home April 8-11. That’s when his hometown show, MAIN ST., opens for its 25th year. Story is the go-to guy for tips on what to see and do when MAIN ST. takes the town.

Fearless Film Festival comes of age
It’s a coming of age tale: more than 200 short films were submitted for this year’s Fearless Film Festival, and organizers have selected 16 from across the world to screen at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 10 and and 1:15 p.m. Sunday, April 11 at the David L. Tandy Lecture Hall in the Fort Worth Central Library. Filmmakers’ panels return this year and include a special presentation of One Square Mile, a documentary series that is really putting Fort Worth filmmakers on the map.

All in good taste: food, wine and more
Preview what’s cooking, including selections from Kincaid’s Hamburgers, Reata Restaurant and Cantina Laredo or dining rooms at the Omni, and don’t miss seated tastings of the finest from Times Ten Cellars, another stellar addition to the festival’s menu for its 25th year.

Art on Tour presented by Chesapeake Energy
Talk about an allowance: Chesapeake Energy is giving a group of teens $8,000 to spend at MAIN ST. as student curators of Art on Tour presented by Chesapeake Energy, a year-round, traveling exhibit created by and for young artists.

Green days: MAIN ST. makes an environmental statement
John Darling has a dirty job, and he loves it. Darling, a.k.a. the king of compost at the University of Texas at Arlington, is part of the green team that aims to keep the 25th annual MAIN ST. Festival earth-friendly. Joining the bid this year is Green Mountain Energy Company, which offers patrons a rewarding way to help make MAIN ST. carbon-neutral.

Music on MAIN
From icons Leon Russell and Kirk Whalum to young guns Jonny Lang and Los Lonely Boys, MAIN ST. presents the best in audible art in its 2010 Music on MAIN schedule of live concerts, and they’re all free.

Funny business
You can laugh, and it’s all in a day’s work for entertainers bound for the 25th annual MAIN ST. festival. Look into the funny business that’s coming to town, and follow links to YouTube videos that preview all the fun.

Creative kids: Young People’s Art Fair presented by XTO Energy
MAIN ST. helps youth channel their creative energy and grow in the process as participants in its Young People’s Art Fair presented by XTO Energy from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 10 and 11. The Young People’s Art Fair showcases original works of art created by youth ages 7 to 17.

Get here: ways to go
Hike, bike or take a bus or train to MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and skip parking hassles. Note street closures starting Monday, April 5.

MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 25th year April 8-11 with a celebration of fine arts and crafts, music, film and food a mile long, stretching from the Tarrant County Courthouse to the Fort Worth Convention Center. More than 200 juried artists and fine crafts exhibitors will line brick-paved Main Street, joined by musicians and dancers on three stages. Performance artists and food and drink vendors complete the scene.

Festival hours will be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, April 8; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 9-10; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 11, 2010. Admission is free to the public. For more information, visit www.mainstreetartsfest.org.

MAIN ST. is made possible by a host of generous corporate citizens who support the festival year in and year out, bringing the finest entertainment to North Texas.Official Sponsors are Chase, Green Mountain Energy Company, Sundance Square, Texas Lincoln Mercury Dealers, and XTO Energy. Media Sponsors include CBS 11/TXA 21, D Magazine and the Star-Telegram as well as radio stations Mix 102.9, 102.1 The Edge, 106.1 KISS FM, 95.9 FM The Ranch, Country Legends 92.1, and Lone Star 92.5. Supporting Sponsors include Chesapeake Energy Company, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of North Texas, Dallas/Fort Worth Professional Musicians Association, Fort Worth Transportation Authority, Pizza Hut, Target and the University of Texas at Arlington.


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