MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival Calls Up an Army of Volunteers

Fort Worth, Texas—MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival presented by Coors Light is mustering an army of volunteers for the 2009 festival April 16-19, and they’ll be guided by a group of veterans who know downtown’s main event inside out.

Many like Volunteer Coordinator Christine Boren have been hitting the bricks as MAIN ST. volunteers for years. With five years’ tenure, she’s a relative newcomer to the leadership group but is in a unique position to know that volunteering for MAIN ST. isn’t just fun—it’s habit forming.

“My kids have grown up working MAIN ST., and the whole family gets involved,” said Boren, who compared MAIN ST. volunteers to members of an extended family. “Over the years, we’ve helped build MAIN ST. and are proud of what it’s become. We have a good family.”

She has 1,600 volunteer slots to fill over the four days of this year’s festival, and assignments range from beverage service and merchandising to an array of other duties like artist hosting. Shifts vary by assignment.

In return for their service, volunteers get an insider’s look at world-class art, food and entertainment as well as “an awesome street team t-shirt” that regulars consider collectible, Boren said.

She has served as both an individual and corporate volunteer and welcomes all offers of service but emphasizes the advantages of working MAIN ST. as part of a team. Individuals as well as corporate teams should e-mail [email protected] or call 817-336-2787, ext. 24 for more information. Sign up at www.mainstreetartsfest.org.

MAIN ST. packs downtown Fort Worth each spring with a celebration of fine arts and crafts, music, film and food 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, and Fort Worth’s signature skyline blending turn-of-the-century buildings and modern skyscrapers frames it all. Admission is free.

Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. For information on parking and transportation, visit www.MainStreetArtsFest.org or www.fortworthparking.com.

MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival celebrates its 24th year in 2009 and is presented by Coors Light. Official Sponsors for 2009 are American Airlines, Chase, Sundance Square, Target, and XTO Energy. Media Sponsors include CBS 11/TXA 21, D Magazine and theStar-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, Green Mountain Energy, and the University of Texas at Arlington.

The festival is produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. (DFWII), 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. DFWII 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 25 years on MAIN ST. in 2010.

# # #


Press Archive