Internationally Renowned Cottonwood Art Festival’s Local Roots Are Deep
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Next in a series: North Texas cities, towns, and neighborhoods celebrate fall with all the gusto of people who have suffered through a Texas summer, and we are here to let you know about the best area fall festivals, Oktoberfests, pumpkin patches, and Halloween fun over the next several weeks. Today, we’re headed to the internationally award winning Cottonwood Art Festival in Richardson. If you know of a great fall activity that needs to be showcased, let us know! Here’s the series so far.
Neighborhood/Area: Richardson
Where: Cottonwood Park, 1321 W. Beltline Rd., Richardson, TX. Parking is available across from the festival grounds at the Richardson High School football stadium on Beltline, and shuttles will be available to and from the parking area.
What makes it special: From its humble beginning in 1969 as a gathering of a few local artists in the park, to its current status as an internnationally renowned, twice yearly art festival, the Cottonwood Art Festival has maintained its homegrown feel and dedication to local art and artists. The festival’s Featured Artist is Texan biologist and illustrator Erin Curry, a mixed media artist whose artwork depicts “meticulously drawn skeletons, winged creatures, organs, masks and flowers that are often crafted within vintage frames and custom shadow boxes.” Throughout the year, Cottonwood employs an Emerging Artists program in local high schools, fostering young artists, and eventually selecting a few to present their work at the festival.
The Artstop Children’s Area is one of the festival’s highlights, providing an area for kids to participate in a wide array of art activities, from painting on canvas and molding clay to seasonal crafts and culturally-inspired projects. Local bands provide the music on two stages throughout the weekend. Food and beverages are provided by local food trucks, and area breweries.
“We go every year,” said Sarah Ewalt, a Richardson resident. “I have family who comes in town for the weekend and we all go. We love the live music. We always see people we know. I like that you can get art at different price points – I have a print on the wall at my house that didn’t cost $10,000. I have a friend who had her wedding ring designed by an artist there.”
The City of Richardson is once again excited to host the Cottonwood Art Festival at Cottonwood Park this weekend. Celebrating it’s 54th anniversary, the festival celebrates the rich history of Art in Richardson by showcasing over 200 fine art creators from all over the world over the course of the weekend. From live music on two stages, hand-on crafts for kids in the ArtStop and a brand new chalk art contest, the weekend is sure to have a little something for everyone!
Dianna Lawrence, Superintendent of Community Events, City of Richardson
What: So much art! Artists displaying every medium you can think of will be there: paintings, photography, woodwork, ceramics, prints, textiles, jewelry, sculpture, and more. Enjoy food and beverages from local vendors, live music, and let the kids try their hands at several different art activities in the ArtStop area. Feeling artistic? Sign up for the Chalk the Walk contest, and express yourself in chalk on the sidewalks of Cottonwood Park while you’re there. There are cash prizes for the winners.
When: October 7-8, 2023. Saturday, 10:00am – 7:00pm; Sunday, 10:00am – 5:00pm.
Tickets: Admission is free, but some of the kids’ activities have a nominal fee for supplies (~$2)
