The Downtown Festival and Art Show
The Downtown Festival and Art Show Has Something for Everyone
Each year, the street running from the Hippodrome to the City Hall closes to automobile traffic and opens for foot traffic. Downtown Gainesville becomes a mecca for artists, dancers, musicians — and the 100,000 people who descend upon the city to experience it all.
This year, the Downtown Festival and Art Show, presented by the City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, celebrates 27 years of art and musical expression. On November 8 and 9 in the heart of historic downtown Gainesville, artists from throughout the country will be on hand to show their talent.
“It’s definitely the biggest and the best,” said Linda Piper, events coordinator for the festival for the past 14 years. “I guess what makes this show so exciting is the national recognition we receive. We are in the top 25 this year.”
In fact, the show is ranked No. 23 as the best fine art show in the country by Sunshine Artist magazine. This is the first time the event has ranked in the Top 25, although it has ranked in the Top 200 since 1996. No small feat considering the magazine receives votes from nearly 1,000 shows from around the country with only 200 making the final cut.
“Each year it’s getting better,” Piper said. “The artists, once a year, get to rank their favorite art shows based upon their sales. It’s the quality of the artists, but also the amount of visitors we are able to attract to spend their money on original art work.”
This year, 650 artists have applied to be in the show; 250 will display and sell their original oils, acrylics, watercolors, sculptures, jewelry, decorative ceramics and photography.
Live music — folk, jazz, country, pop, and soul — will spill from three stages throughout this event. Dancers will also take the stage, including ballet, jazz, modern and international dance performances. More than 20 local groups will perform over the course of the weekend.
Visitors can also enjoy culinary delights from around the world, including barbecue ribs, bloomin’ onions, Mediterranean pitas, Greek gyros, Cajun jambalaya, Thai noodles and good ole fish and chips.
This year, the festival is offering something new: a Music Showcase beginning Thursday, November 6 running through Saturday, November 8. Each evening at 7 p.m., bands will perform at the Bo Diddley Community Plaza. There will be a Country Concert on Thursday, a Blues Concert on Friday and a Smooth Jazz Concert on Saturday — all free of charge.
RCA Nashville Recording Artist Chris Young is scheduled to perform Thursday evening. Young is the winner of the 2006 Nashville Star.
On Friday, Gainesville’s blues band the Blues-matics will take the stage, followed by Magic Slim and the Teardrops.
And on Saturday, jazz guitarist Matt Marshak and saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa will offer up some smooth jazz, retro, soul vibes and world beat music.
As with each festival, there will be something for everyone — including the kids. Imagination Station is the place devoted entirely to children. Here kids can spend the day exploring their creativity with sidewalk chalk art, book making and mask design, all free of charge. There will also be music and puppet shows. Art Education students from the University of Florida have worked diligently through the fall semester to make this happen.
“This is the perfect time of the year to hold our fall arts festival,” Piper said, “because it’s a great time to start your shopping for the holidays.”
Albert Isaac is Editor-in-Chief at Tower Publications. He may be contacted at editor@towerpublications.com.
