60 replies to this topic

[johnfwd]

This year the Main Street Arts Festival is April 18-21.  If you're interested in volunteering, check out the website below.

 

http://www.mainstree...er-for-main-st/

[johnfwd]

This is the first year the Main Street Arts Festival (April 10-13) will have the benefit of the newly completed  Sundance Square plaza.  What a welcome change from past years when a parking lot was cleared for a concert stage and food and artists booths!  Also, of course, some streets in the area are now pedestrian-only, and that development should augment one's enjoyment of this year's festival.

[John T Roberts]

I can't wait.  However, I haven't signed up to volunteer this year.

[beverlyb]

After volunteering for Main ST for years, this is my first year working (for free) on the event staff. I want to second the call for volunteers.

 

Volunteers for any times are welcome, but we are especially needing help on Sunday!

[dangr.dave]

... I haven't signed up to volunteer this year.

 

That means you'll get to walk around a little bit more and enjoy the art (not that you can't as a volunteer).

[mmiller2002]

Every year I go to MSAF I must have amnesia!  Its so crowded, I don't want to buy anything, and the food isn't worth it.  Although, it was worse when I was pushing a stroller 15 years ago.  I do like Poo Live Crew, though ;-)

 

BUT, I'm glad it gets such a great turnout   It's hard to believe that the booths make enough profit to exceed expenses.

[johnfwd]

I've been an arts festival volunteer for a few years now.  It's an urban event to enjoy artists' work, attend the music concerts, and socialize.  You don't have to buy anything, including the booth food (matter of fact I would probably stop off at Risky's or one of the other restaurants).  Food and drinks are over-priced, but such is the nature of these types of events.

 

 What I don't particularly care for is the ticket scheme, though I understand reasons for it, including vendors not getting swindled by a quick change scammer.  But convenience may not be one of those reasons.  Evidently, with some people hard cash is easier to deal with than tickets.   People were always coming up to me and asking "where do you buy tickets?"  But it's a great event!

[dangr.dave]

Also, something to note is that Main Street itself may be too crowded to walk down, but the Emerging Artist tents are off on side streets and don't have nearly the crowds but still have some great local art that rivals anything that you would find on crowded Main Street.  Check out the artists near Starbucks if you get a chance:

[Dylan]

This evening will be my first time going to the Arts Festival.

Anyone else going?

[John T Roberts]

I'm sorry that I didn't get online until tonight.  I was there on Thursday night and I was there this afternoon.

[Dylan]

I took some pictures, but haven't uploaded them yet. I will probably do so tomorrow.

[johnfwd]

Too bad the event had to be cancelled the last day (Sunday) on account of inclement weather. 

[Dylan]

Yes this is late, but I didn't have time to upload pictures earlier since I have been caught up in school work. Here are a few pictures from Saturday.

 

Brian Luenser, his wife, and their booth:

 

 

 

 

Main Street from the courthouse:

 

 

From the 777 Main parking garage:

 

 

View of the packed DR Horton garage:

 

 

I went into the DR Horton tower, but not surprisingly, I was not allowed access to a higher floor.

 

A few more pictures from Saturday night:

 

 

 

 

 

Concert at the southern end of Main Street:

 

 

 

[John T Roberts]

The Main Street Arts Festival will be held from April 9-12 this year.  That's this coming Thursday through Sunday.  The TRE is going to run later trains this year.  They will also be offering Sunday Service this year.  The Business Press has the following story:

 

http://www.fwbusines...09374c1332.html

[Dylan]

Same weekend as the spring TMS race weekend this year. That's interesting.

[johnfwd]

I also wondered if TMS will draw people away from the Arts Festival or actually spur interest from tourists in our downtown event.  I'm volunteering again and looking forward to the arts festival.

[beverlyb]

It's getting to be that time again. MAIN ST. Arts Festival time!

 

This year's festival will be April 14th - 17th! 

 

We needs lots of volunteers. Please sign up for a shift or two or three! 

 

Sign up at http://www.mainstree...er-for-main-st/

 

Along with a really cool volunteer t-shirt, you get one free beverage to enjoy at the end of your shift and 10% off of all official festival merchandise.

 

If you have a group (organization, work, church or other) that would like to volunteer, please contact me at beverly@dfwi.org.

 

[johnfwd]

I love volunteering for the Main Street Arts Festival.  The first day (yesterday) the crowds began to grow into the evening hours.  This festival takes up about a third of the downtown area and is probably one of the largest municipal arts festivals in the country.  We all know how FWDT night-life during the festival is something to behold!  I was commenting to a fellow volunteer at the Information Desk (Harlan...a great guy!) yesterday morning that, what with the planned building of several new hotels downtown in the next few years, this arts festival will be bigger than ever!

[JBB]

For years, I took vacation to work for a relative at the arts fest (I was paid, made for a nice chunk of summer vacation money). I always enjoyed the atmosphere and even if it rained one of the days, the weather always seemed to be perfect. It'll be a little cool and windy tomorrow, but still really nice. I had the chance to work this year, but I had to duck out because of something with my real job. I'm already regretting it.

[John T Roberts]

I have generally worked one of the days of the festival.  However, it was all volunteer work and there was no pay.  I have always enjoyed doing it and giving back to my community.  Last year, I did not volunteer due to my accident and I'm not working the festival this year.

[Austin55]

Forum festival meetup? I'll be there everyday.
Forum festival meetup? I'll be there everyday.

[beverlyb]

I love volunteering for the Main Street Arts Festival.  The first day (yesterday) the crowds began to grow into the evening hours.  This festival takes up about a third of the downtown area and is probably one of the largest municipal arts festivals in the country.  We all know how FWDT night-life during the festival is something to behold!  I was commenting to a fellow volunteer at the Information Desk (Harlan...a great guy!) yesterday morning that, what with the planned building of several new hotels downtown in the next few years, this arts festival will be bigger than ever!

Yes, Harlan is great. Thank you for volunteering this year. We had an awesome group of volunteers. We might have crossed paths since this year I managed the volunteer center. It was great to have our volunteer center in a building this year, however, it would have been nice to have running water.

[Doohickie]

Forum festival meetup? I'll be there everyday.

 

I didn't make it out there once this weekend.

[johnfwd]

One of the most interesting volunteer assignments is "Artist Host."  You walk two or three blocks around the artists' tent exhibits and temporarily sit in for any artist who needs to take a quick break.  You get to meet artists this way, if you are so inclined and have a taste for arts and craft.  Of course, after four hours of  ambulation on the asphalt you are ready to sit down!

[Now in Denton]

Too bad it looks like a rainy Saturday. Plus I notice in past years. A lot of vendors start closing up around noon on Sunday.  But the event don't end till 7 or 9 pm Sunday ?

[John T Roberts]

Maybe if it is a rain out on Saturday, the vendors will stay longer on Sunday?

[johnfwd]

I volunteered at the Information Booth until 8 Sunday evening.  Observed that some artists and vendors were closing down then.  

[JBB]

That was the closing time for Sunday evening, wasn't it?

[Doohickie]

Too bad it looks like a rainy Saturday. Plus I notice in past years. A lot of vendors start closing up around noon on Sunday.  But the event don't end till 7 or 9 pm Sunday ?

 

The only day I might have gone was Sunday, but this is exactly why I didn't.  There's just no energy there Sunday afternoon.

[beverlyb]

On Sunday Main St. closes at 8 pm, but the vendors start to shut down around 6 pm. Because of the street traffic on Sunday the vendors were given the option to stay open until 8 pm. Johndfw, thank you so much for volunteering this year!

[rriojas71]

 

Too bad it looks like a rainy Saturday. Plus I notice in past years. A lot of vendors start closing up around noon on Sunday.  But the event don't end till 7 or 9 pm Sunday ?

 

The only day I might have gone was Sunday, but this is exactly why I didn't.  There's just no energy there Sunday afternoon.

 

I disagree.  I was there yesterday and it was a gorgeous day.  Not too hot and a refreshing cool breeze that came through from time to time.  Went with a group of friends and the crowd was awesome.  Got to see some of the Van Cliburn semifinalist performing on the Sundance Square stage too which was phenomenal.

[Austin55]

Yeh Sunday was pretty busy I thought, Fri and Sat afternoons can get toooooo busy. Thursday can be a little slower than I'd like but seemed crowded this year.

[Dylan]

Went on Sunday... the performance stages were plenty crowded.

 

Way more people than chairs to sit in.

[John T Roberts]

On Thursday and Friday, I worked late, and on Saturday, I actually felt a little cheated by the weather.  I went during a break in the rain in the afternoon, and I found out shortly after I arrived that severe weather was moving in.  So, I finished walking the other direction on the street and then I hightailed it for home.  I had let the dogs out because they had been in all morning due to the rain, so they were both neurotic in anticipation of the storm when I got home.  I was gone less than 1.5 hours total.  This is including driving both directions, parking, and walking to Main Street.  I did not return on Sunday. 

[Doohickie]

Last time I went on a Sunday a few years ago, it seemed like there were a lot of empty booths because artists had already closed down.  Maybe they stick around longer now.  But when I went it had a half-closed-down feeling to it.

[Now in Denton]

Last time I went on a Sunday a few years ago, it seemed like there were a lot of empty booths because artists had already closed down.  Maybe they stick around longer now.  But when I went it had a half-closed-down feeling to it.

 

I also had that we are winding down feeling when booths were covered up when the day still had several hours of sunlight. Again that was a few years ago. I haven't been in two years. So maybe Main Street Arts gave vendors a talking too ? Sunday afternoon seems to be the only problem day. I hear that competition for artist wanting to come to Fort Worth is tight. So if you want to come, stay open till the end.  

[John T Roberts]

I believe the Main Street Arts Festival website posts the times the artist's booths are open and I believe the site said they would be shutting them down at 6:00 PM, while the festival continues on for another couple of hours.  I do realize that this was posted before the event and did not take into consideration the storm delay on Saturday.

[Austin55]

Always my favorite event of the year.

[george84]

Me too, I went with my family yesterday. Weather was nice, and lots of interesting things to see as usual.

[Dylan]

I'm planning to go Sunday. Tomorrow looks to be a complete washout.

[elpingüino]

Arts Festival is completely closed all day today. https://twitter.com/...060420647489536

[AndyN]

Gonna be packed Sunday. Seemed pretty crowded Friday evening too.

[Doohickie]

Seemed pretty crowded Friday evening too.

 

Yep.

 

 

[Austin55]

It's packed

[John T Roberts]

Yes, it was packed this morning.  Austin, you and I were there at the same time, but obviously didn't see each other.  My lady friend that always goes to the festival with me, never touched base with me, so I guess she is on her own. 

 

I'm going to try to hit the Trinity Trails later this afternoon to squeeze in a bicycle ride.

[renamerusk]

Are you seeing an uptick in the Tarrant Express Rail ridership for MSAF?

[Dylan]

Ridership on TEXRail seemed decent today. The train I took there was about 2/3 full, and the reverse train in the passing zone looked full (I went late- close to 4:00pm).

 

My return train leaving Central Station at 8:30 was far less full- about 30 of us boarded there (plus a dozen or so people already on the train).

 

But, crowds had already started to thin by the time I left the festival. I'm sure many people went home earlier.

[johnfwd]

When the arts festival had to close on Saturday on account of the heavy rain and thunder storms, I thought Sunday would also be a bust.  I volunteered Sunday morning as an artist host, one of only three.  Talked with a Japanese artist who makes wooden drums, and I assured him he would get customers out of the one-million-plus area population.  Sure enough, under a shining sun and a glorious spring day, the crowds returned on Sunday and--overall--the  festival this year was a success!

[John T Roberts]

By the way, since I had been hearing great things about Joe Riscky's Barbecue, I decided to eat from their booth at the festival.  I had a sausage bomb and their macaroni & cheese.  Both were excellent.  The sausage bomb is a jalapeno stuffed with cheese and wrapped in sausage and then the whole thing is wrapped in bacon.

[Austin55]

I had thier Mac n Cheese twice. Very good.