ArtsQuest celebrates 20 years of success this weekend
SOUTH WALTON - Organizers knew what they were doing when they picked the second weekend in May for an arts festival.
Spring weather and Mother's Day provide an inspired canvas for a family-oriented weekend of entertainment.
Since its beginning as the Grayton Beach Fine Arts Festival in 1989, ArtsQuest has developed into one of the top 200 juried art shows in the United States, attracting more than 10,000 people to its now full week of events.
Under the leadership of committed volunteers and the Cultural Arts Association, the festival has changed and grown during the past 20 years, from name and venue to programming and brand identity.
One thing, however, has remained constant - Arts-Quest exists and succeeds to fulfill the Cultural Arts Association's mission of enhancing the quality of life for youth and adults by providing lifelong learning through arts education and appreciation; to promote the fine arts, performing arts and the humanities; and to support local artists by promoting their work.
This year's festival began May 4 and continued throughout this week with a variety of events. The weeklong celebration culminates Saturday and Sunday with the 20th Anniversary Arts-Quest Fine Arts Show.
The huge juried fine arts show takes place in The Village of Baytowne Wharf in the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort. More than 100 artists representing more than a dozen media will participate.
KidsZone, created by Butler Elementary School art teacher Constance Rogers, will allow budding artists a chance to create their own masterpieces.
The festival will continue the tradition of showcasing artwork by three specially chosen Okaloosa-Walton College art students, and 30 Cultural Arts Association Member artists will have their artwork on display and for sale.
In addition to visual art, performance art and live music of all genres will fill the weekend.
Donnie Sundal, Dread Clampitt, Alice Bargeron, Chuck Lawson, Ed Williams, The New World Beatnicks, Sinfonia and the Seaside Repertory Theatre are some of the artists contributing to the celebration.
Admission is free this year thanks to a benefit drawing implemented by ArtsQuest Chair Nan Ream. In the past, a $3 admission fee was charged.
Benefit drawing tickets are on sale now and will be sold throughout the weekend for $5 each (three for $10, 10 for $20). They will give ticketholders chances to win 14 prizes, including original art, a case of fine wine, salon services, theater tickets, or the grand prize of a two-night stay in Sandestin with two rounds of golf in Sandestin.
The drawing will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday on the Events Plaza stage. Winners need not be present.
ArtsQuest hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
Parking on site is limited. Free shuttle buses will run from the west parking lot of Grand Boulevard, near Mitchell's Fish Market, to the festival site. Shuttle hours on Saturday are 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
For more details, call the CAA office at 622-5970 or visit CulturalArtsAssociation.org online.