Allen Arts Festival 2016 coming to Watters Creek in May

May in Allen means transformation: Spring yields to summer, seniors become graduates, and the city’s favorite destination, Watters Creek, blossoms into an art lover’s paradise.

Join the Allen Arts Alliance as it opens its biggest Allen Arts Festival yet May 13–15 at Watters Creek. Artists (local and from across the country) will display and sell their art along the sidewalks of Allen’s ever popular retail and dining destination. This year’s festival covers not only the traditional route of past years, but this year adds a second pedestrian-only art promenade ending at Blue House Too, Allen’s newest gallery and art space.

Ninety-five artists have been selected for their artisanship and skill in specialties ranging from painting, ceramics, photography, mixed media, sculpture, jewelry, printmaking, fiber arts, and more. Festival favorites will be back, plus new-to-the-festival artists, from all over the state and country, bringing a range of art styles from classical to modern, understated to opulent, whimsical to western.

Among the participating artists are a number of locals such as Ann Augustin from Frisco, Helen Bailey from McKinney, Sandy Atkins-Moran from Carrollton, Debbie Smith from Richardson, Thomas Jordan from Frisco, Carolyn Grim from Plano, Leticia Herrera from McKinney, Elliot Fallas from Plano, Michael Adkins from Fairview, Sherry Talbot from Garland and Katharine LiBretto from Allen.

The festival offers a wide array of activities and events for the whole family. Listen to a variety of live music performances (classical, Irish, jazz, rock, and indie punk; there will be music for all tastes). Dine at one of Watters Creek favorite restaurants. Let the children explore the playground on the Green, participate in an art treasure hunt, and take a train ride.

Don’t forget to stop in to Blue House Too, which will be a hub of family-friendly activity. Throughout the weekend, free kids’ art activities will let you unleash your inner Picasso. Starting Friday evening, enjoy the opening of the Allen High School “Art Smart” Scholarship exhibit (a preview of the following week’s gala and auction benefitting Allen High School art students). On Saturday, enjoy the art activities provided by AHS’s National Arts Honor Society, meet members of the Allen Teen Arts Council (ATAC), and see their arts bazaar where they will be selling their original art, zines, and music. Sunday will bring a day of culture and dance to Blue House Too, with ATAC’s “See The World” display and dancers from the Allen Civic Ballet, the Indian classical Sampradaya, and a rhythmic gymnastics group.

Visit allenartsalliance.org for a full list of artists and events. See you at the Allen Arts Festival!