Festival of the Arts coming to downtown Oklahoma City
A wind sculpture spins at the 2008 Festival of the Arts. (Photo by Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman Archives)
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
43rd annual Oklahoma City Arts Festival is a rite of spring for state’s artists
Sunshine and rain are mingling, yards and trees are turning green and tents are going up in downtown Oklahoma City.
Spring is invigorating the state, and for the 43rd year, Oklahomans will delight in the season with a mélange of art, music and food.
Preparations are underway for the Festival of the Arts, an annual celebration of visual, performing and culinary arts that starts Tuesday and continues through April 26. Produced by the Arts Council of Oklahoma City, the festival is a long-standing tradition that brings a bracing blend of beloved traditions and interesting new offerings every year.
“The Festival of the Arts is Oklahoma City’s rite of spring,” said Peter Dolese, executive director of Arts Council of Oklahoma City. “It’s just not spring without the Festival of the Arts.”
The event will include 144 artists from across the state and country who will sell and show work in a range of media, from paintings and photographs to jewelry and sculptures. Art lovers can explore annual attractions such as the Windscapes kinetic sculpture area, the large-scale Sculpture Garden and the variety of demonstrations at the Artful Experience mobile studios.
Another favorite offering is the Pottery Place, where people can buy and decorate raku pots. It’s not uncommon for the Pottery Place to sell out of pots by the end of the event, he said.
Children can get into the artistic spirit at the Youth Plaza, which includes the Young-At-Mart, where youngsters can buy original artwork; Creation Station, where they can help create a giant dragon sculpture; and the Arts After School Student Gallery, where they can see artwork by their peers.
The ever-changing South Hudson Gallery at the corner of Hudson and Reno offers a traditional gallery setting for art lovers, with indoor seating, cappuccino and imported beer. Festival Director Angela Cozby said this year’s exhibit is titled “Roads Less Traveled” guest curated by Jeff Stokes, director of Individual Artists of Oklahoma Gallery. “Roads Less Traveled” pairs emerging and established artists who work in similar media. It is the first time the gallery has promoted Oklahoma’s up-and-coming artists.
The festival also has four stages to showcase diverse performing artists, from school choirs and clowns to indie rockers and mariachi bands. Returning favorites include guitarist Edgar Cruz, the Al Good Orchestra and the “Festival Idol” youth talent contest.
“Throughout the duration of the event, we will have performances from open to close. You can catch a jazz band, there’s rock ‘n’ roll bands, there’s modern dance,” Cozby said.
In addition, festival-goers can find an array of culinary masterpieces on International Food Row, where local vendors partner with nonprofit arts organizations. Strawberries Newport, Indian tacos, cinnamon-roasted almonds and other festival staples will be on the menu, said Emily Reagan, Arts Council of Oklahoma City communications director.
But the event will feature some new restaurants and their tasty concoctions, such as Guinness Beef Barley Stew from TapWerks, stacked chicken enchiladas from Iguana Lounge and grilled bologna sandwiches from Jamil’s Steakhouse.
The trees at the Myriad Botanical Gardens won’t be the only green at this year’s festival: The event also will include new recycle bins for plastic water bottles, bike racks and a green fashion show of clothes made from recycled materials. These additions are the start of a five-year plan to turn the festival into an environmentally friendly event, Reagan said.
In addition, the festival’s Artist Row will have a different look this year, with new high-tech tents that bought with help from the Inasmuch Foundation. Reagan said the festive tents will offer more protection for the artists and their work from Oklahoma’s often adverse weather.
But organizers are hoping for pleasant weather for the festival.
“We usually have between 500,000 and 750,000 people,” Dolese said. “We hope and pray for good weather. Over 100,000 people a day will go through if the weather is really good.”
Going on
Festival of the Arts
When: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday-April 25 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 26.
Where: Festival Plaza, Stage Center and the Myriad Botanical Gardens in downtown Oklahoma City.
Admission: Free. Pets are not allowed.
Information: 270-4848 or www.artscouncilokc.com.
-BAM
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