2009 Festival of the Arts

[metro]

Festival of the Arts | Arts Council of Oklahoma City

Just a reminder it's almost time for Festival of the Arts. Go out and enjoy this rite of spring.


April 21-26, 2009
Downtown Oklahoma City
Since 1967, the Festival of the Arts has been Oklahoma City's rite of spring. The Festival is a community celebration of the visual arts, performing arts and culinary arts.
The 2009 Festival of the Arts takes place April 21-26 in Downtown Oklahoma City at the Festival Plaza, Stage Center and the Myriad Botanical Gardens. Hours are Tuesday – Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is free. Pets are not allowed.

The Visual Arts include 144 Plaza Artists from across the nation that exhibit on Hudson Avenue, Windscapes, a kinetic art exhibit in the Myriad Gardens, and a large-scale SculpturePark exhibit in the Stage Center Lawn.

The Culinary Arts consist of the International Food Row. Each food vendor is partnered with an area non-profit organization.

The Performing Arts includes four stages of non-stop performing arts and entertainment, and street performers roaming the grounds.

Arts for Children and Families include hands-on activities in the Children’s Area for just $2. The Young-At-Art Mart returns as the children only shopping venue with all artwork affordably priced for $5 or less. Families should also visit face painting and Pottery Place and Creation Station for more fun!

For more information call (405) 270-4848.

[metro]

The Journal Record - Article

Festival of the Arts 2009
by Joan Gilmore
The Journal Record April 16, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY – To thousands of people in the Oklahoma City area, spring doesn’t officially arrive until the Festival of the Arts opens. The festival will open April 21 and come to a close April 26.

The site is downtown Oklahoma City, where Hudson Avenue will be closed between Sheridan and Reno to accommodate the rows of artist tents and the thousands of visitors who come to enjoy the fun, food and entertainment of the festival, which originated in 1967.Nancy Sharrock and Jim Farris are co-chairs of the 2009 Festival of the Arts, presented each year by the Arts Council of Oklahoma City. They will be assisted by more than 500 volunteers who, in turn, have brought in all of their friends to be volunteers. Sue Hale is president of the Arts Council board of directors.

Festival Plaza, the area between Walker and Robinson avenues, will feature visual arts by 144 artists, culinary arts, performing arts and art for children. Admission to the festival is free and all are welcome – except pets, which will not be admitted.

The International Food Row will offer old favorites such as Indian tacos and strawberries newport, as well as new food items including beef barley stew, stacked chicken enchiladas or seafood cocktails. Each commercial food vendor partners with a local nonprofit arts agency, so each item goes to support the arts in the metro area.

The Stage Center lawn will be filled with large-scale works of art in the Sculpture Park and the South Hudson Gallery exhibit, “Roads Less Traveled,” will have on view works of art done by up-and-coming artists paired with established artists. Artists exhibiting at the festival are from more than 30 states, in addition to our own Oklahoma artists.
The Festival of the Arts will have four stages of nonstop performing arts entertainment, ranging from elementary school performers to professional musicians. More than 300 performers donate their time and talents.

The Youth Plaza on the east side of the Crystal Bridge in the Myriad Botanical Gardens will offer many activities for children and families. These include face painting; creating art such as paper mosaics, dancing streamers or puppets; and being able to purchase festival artists’ work at $5 or less. In this area will be kid-friendly food vendors and a children’s talent show.

Festival goers will find bright new tents for the artists this year, provided by a grant from the Inasmuch Foundation. Putting up the tents will be volunteer labor, rather than by a professional crew, according to Peter Dolese, Arts Council executive director. The council’s goal is to reduce costs by using volunteers.

Hours for the Festival of the Arts will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. April 21 through 25 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 26. For more information, call (405) 270-4848 or visit Oklahoma City Arts Council, OKC Arts Council | Arts Council of Oklahoma City.

[OnlyinOK]

The Festival of the Arts is always so much fun and the food is scrumptious. Hope the weather is nice!!

[dismayed]

Anyone check out the website? That food selection looks awesome.

[metro]

Culinary Arts | Arts Council of Oklahoma City

[AFCM]

Don't forget about yours truly.

Solo Guitarist: Jake Poire' (AFCM)
Saturday, 25 April 2009
7:30 - 9:00pm, Deck Stage

Performing Arts | Arts Council of Oklahoma City

[onthestrip]

Wow, that menu is phenomenal.

[workman45]

Phonemonal menu. I never miss it so it's either schedule more time at the club or buy bigger pants.

[bluedogok]

This will be my first time going there in many years, my wife has never been since we haven't been back up there while it has been going on.

[Lauri101]

All right - 4 days of great lunch food! The hardest problem is making a choice - guess I'll have to make an afternoon trip to get dinner.

I love this time of year - I can hear music from my office and see some cool art as I pig out. Looks like my Wii Fit will be getting a lot of business next week.

[Watson410]

*Just a reminder* Starts tomorrow!!! I can't wait! We're suppose to have GREAT weather this week, so it should be good.

[soonergal]

Phonemonal menu. I never miss it so it's either schedule more time at the club or buy bigger pants

so true...thanks for posting, just don't know how I'm going to make it to all the goodie tents... guess I'll have to make more than one trip...

[FritterGirl]

Of course, you can always pick out your food selections ahead of time!

[Lauri101]

Opening Day=Strawberry Newport!
I can almost taste it right now...mmmmm

[OKCTalker]

Bread pudding with vanilla ice cream: 9/10.
Fish tacos: 6/10 (not enough fish).
Beef burrito: 8/10.

[CCOKC]

I had my Indian Taco at lunch today (vegetarian style of course)

[AFCM]

Fish tacos: 6/10 (not enough fish)

Giggity!

[HSC-Sooner]

Giggity!

LOL.

/facepalm

[metro]

I had my Indian Taco at lunch today (vegetarian style of course)

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of an indian "taco" then? Wouldn't it just be indian fry bread with some lettuce and tomato?

[FritterGirl]

Considering that authentic fry bread is often made with lard (an animal fat), I'm not sure how vegetarian they really are.

[mecarr]

I forget which stand it was, but a food stand last year offered fried battered strips. Basically, it was fried batter made into a stick and that's it. They gave you buttermilk ranch dipping sauce which was a nice side.

[CCOKC]

They are selling them as vegetarian Indian Tacos so I am taking them at their word and if anyone tells me any different I will just have to say LaLaLa to you. By the way the meat is omitted but not the beans. I personally can't tell much difference between the meated and meatless. (I have only been veggie about 8 years or so I have had them with meat)

[OKCMallen]

I forget which stand it was, but a food stand last year offered fried battered strips. Basically, it was fried batter made into a stick and that's it. They gave you buttermilk ranch dipping sauce which was a nice side.

OOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooook-lahoma where the wind come sweeping down the plaaaaaaains.

[jbrown84]

I like the upside down pizza.

[bunchakids]

Went last night and had a pretty good time. Food court was ridiculously crowded though. Since the lines extend out mixed in with the people eating at the little tables it makes it quite a challenge to make your way around there.

Best thing to do is grab your food and make your way to the crystal bridge and eat on the lush green grass were its a lot less crowded.

The Crystal Bridge grounds are really impressive, Very nicely maintained. The bridge could use a new coat of paint, Along with some other things but the plant life looks VERY nice. I could only imagine what the core to shore will look like when its done.

Beautiful art, And the artists were all very nice and helpful.

If you have kids take some money, You will need it.

$5 to park in the garage across the street.

Overall: 8/10 - Parking could be a little more reasonable and food was priced a little high and a little better crowd control should be in order for the food area since that is one of the main attractions.