Houston's Nationally Ranked Bayou City Art Festival Downtown: Art in the Heart of the City, Oct. 10-11

    HOUSTON, TX, June 29, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Houston's nationally-ranked Bayou City Art Festival Downtown, set for October 10-11, primes the heart of the city for a weekend of art in the city. The juried fine art festival, framed by Houston's world-class skyline, is a one-of-a-kind outdoor gallery with its highly acclaimed mix of visual, performing, culinary and interactive arts.

"Based on our award-winning reputation, Bayou City Art Festival attracts the 'best of the best' artists from all over the U.S. to exhibit their works in Houston this fall," said Joe Pogge, board president of the Art Colony Association, producer of the Bayou City Art Festival Downtown. This year, 850 national and international artists vied for the fall festival's 300 juried positions, which is up by nearly 20 percent over 2008, the previous all-time high.

Over the two-day October art festival, art lovers from Houston and visitors who travel to Houston from around Texas and the U.S. enjoy cooler Houston weather and downtown's newly fashioned pedestrian promenades in and around City Hall/Hermann Square. Walker, Bagby and McKinney Streets, closed to vehicular traffic, are lined with artists' booths where patrons can interact with artists one-on-one. The Festival also encompasses Houston Public Library Downtown Plaza and Sam Houston Park, which are home to the Capital One Bank Creative Zone and international food and wine cafes, respectively.

An arts and entertainment weekend destination for the entire family, Bayou City Art Festival Downtown features the popular Capital One Bank Creative Zone for children to experience the fun of making art projects (for free) they can take home. Other offerings include the Houston Arts Alliance performance stage with continuous multi-cultural musical and dance shows and close-up art demonstrations, such as past festivals' origami, pottery and guitar making.

The media formats at the Festival will include clay, drawing/pastel, fiber/textiles, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, watercolor and wood. The "Art on Water" floating art installation will grace City Hall's Hermann Square Reflection Pool.

A bevy of restaurants and wine cafes will offer American and international fare to satisfy taste buds of all ages. New this fall will be the "Epicurean Adventure," which will boast wine tastings and professional chefs' cooking demonstrations.

Tickets are $10 for adults and free for children 12 and under.

The City of Houston and Houston Parks & Recreation Department, Budweiser, Capital One Bank, KTRK-TV, Houston Chronicle and Legacy at Memorial high-rise apartments are among the Festival sponsors. The Festival is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance.

Over the past 37 years, the Art Colony Association, producer of Bayou City Art Festival Downtown in the fall and Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park in spring, has raised more than $2.5 million for local nonprofit organizations. The Art Colony Association is a 501 C-3 organization.

For further info, go to www.bayoucityartfestival.com, or call (713) 521-0133.

Over the two-day Bayou City Art Festival Downtown, local art lovers and those who travel to Houston from around Texas and the U.S., enjoy the cooler Houston October weather, walking the promenades of downtown streets lined with 300 juried fine artists' booths and interacting with artists one-on-one.

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