The Connection

Alexandria — In a burst of color and activity, the 10th anniversary of the Alexandria King Street Art Festival transforms the city’s historic main street into an outdoor art gallery Sept. 8 and 9, 2012. Alexandria is celebrating its place as a top 10 arts destination among mid-size cities in the nation, packing the party with extra 10-themed fun, including a Q-ART Code smart phone scavenger hunt with 10 stops for a chance to win a prize at the Torpedo Factory Center http://www.torpedofactory.org/, and a 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday Drawing Marathon presented by The League http://www.theartleague.org/.

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King Street Art Festvial

King Street is filled with art, artists and visitors during the King Street Art Festival.

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The popular juried art festival features a wide variety of original fine art by more than 200 artists from the U.S. and abroad. Bright, bold and even whimsical, the art on display offers festival goers a vast array of media that appeal to a variety of tastes and include paintings, life-size sculptures, photography, glass, wood, jewelry, collage and ceramics. The prices are set to suit all budgets and range from $25 hand-designed earrings to $30,000 metal sculptures. Admission is free and open to the public.

Artists will line King Street in Alexandria’s Old Town from Washington Street to the Potomac River and will be present for the duration of the show, available to discuss their art and inspiration. Seven Alexandria artists including four Torpedo Factory Art Center artists are presenting work as part of the street festival. Alexandria artist Martha Brumbaugh is among nine festival artists who have participated in the festival since its inception 10 years ago.

Local art organizations present the Alexandria Art Experience at a collection of tents next to Market Square at the corner of King and North Fairfax streets. Through artist-led, hands-on, creative activities and a fun ceramics fundraiser, these tents share the enriching experience of the Alexandria arts community. Activities presented by The Art League include hands-on kids’ art projects with artist and instructor Steve Prince and the Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser. Purchase an artist-made ceramic bowl for $15 and get a scoop of ice cream from Artfully Chocolate to enjoy at the festival. Access through the Arts presents puppet making for children plus prize drawings for kaleidoscopes and tickets to the new Kaleidoscope for Kids event which takes place on Sept. 29 and 30. Additional hands-on activities will be presented by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, the Alexandria Arts Forum and the Office of the Arts.

Festival goers can take part in 10th anniversary fun by starting at the Alexandria Art Experience tents, where they can begin the Q-ART Code Scavenger Hunt. Smart phone users can scan QR codes for clues at 10 points throughout the festival and be eligible to enter to win a $150 gift certificate to the Torpedo Factory Art Center. A Saturday Drawing Marathon presented by The Art League will take place at One Duke Street from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Stroll by and see some artist demos. Artists may donate $30 to participate in the 12-hour intensive drawing event. Alexandria is a top 10 arts destination, voted Fourth Best Arts Destination Among Mid-Size Cities by AmericanStyle magazine readers in 2012.

Additional events on art festival weekend include Art Activated at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, Autumn Serenade, a pops chorus concert on Market Square presented by the award-winning Alexandria Singers, and Children in the Church Yard, a respite area for families presented by historic Christ Church.

Produced by Howard Alan Events and hosted by the City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association, the Alexandria King Street Art Festival is ranked one of the top art fairs in the United States by SunshineArtist, the nation's leading publication for art and craft shows. It is also included on the Harris List as one of the nation's best art shows. The festival is the premier event of the Alexandria Fall Arts Jubilee, a spectacular season of arts events throughout the city from September to November.

More details about the Alexandria King Street Art Festival and the Fall Arts Jubilee are available at http://www.visitalexandriava.com/.

Q-ART Code Scavenger Hunt

Presented by the Torpedo Factory Art Center

Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 8-9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Begin at the Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser booth at the Alexandria Art Experience tents next to Market Square at King and North Fairfax streets. Free. Those who complete the scavenger hunt will be able to enter to win a $150 certificate to the Torpedo Factory.

Drawing Marathon

Presented by The Art League

Saturday, Sept 8 only, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Art League’s Duke Street Annex, One Duke Street, just off the corner of Duke and South Union streets.

$30 donation to participate in up to 12 hours of drawing; 703-683-1780 or http://theartleague.org/ to register; drop-ins welcome though space is limited.

This draw-a-thon offers artists a variety of models and still life setups from which to sketch, as well as great demos from our faculty of artists. A $30 donation at the door gives creative participants the opportunity to draw for 12 hours. This fundraising effort is part of the“30-something” summer series of events to support the build-out of new replacement classrooms at The Art League’s Madison Annex in north Old Town Alexandria.

Alexandria Art Experience

Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 8-9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tents near Market Square, 301 King St., at the corner of King and North Fairfax streets

Activities are free. Donation for Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser.

Through artist-led, hands-on, creative activities, and a ceramics fundraiser, these tents at the King Street Art Festival share the enriching experience of the local arts community. Activities include:

Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser. Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hands-On Arts Activity with Artist Steve Prince. Saturday 10 a.m.-noon and 2-4 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-4 p.m.

Puppet Making and Kaleidoscope Prize Drawing.

The Kaleidoscope collection of events presents a tent with prize drawings for kaleidoscopes and for tickets to the new Kaleidoscope for Kids event taking place Sept. 29 and 30 at the Durant Center for the Arts. Children can also take part in puppet making and learn about the puppet show and puppet parade that will take place at the Kaleidoscope for Kids event. Kaleidoscope is produced by Access through the Arts.

Additional hands-on activities

Presented by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, the Alexandria ArtsForum and the Office of the Arts.

Art Activated at the Torpedo Factory Art Center

Saturday, Sept. 8, noon to 4 p.m.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St.

http://www.torpedofactory.org/artactivated; 703-838-4565

Free. Visual art comes alive at the Torpedo Factory during the Alexandria King Street Art Festival. Stop in the Café by Bread & Chocolate to cool off from the street fair.

Autumn Serenade on Market Square

Saturday, Sept. 8, 5 to 7 p.m.

Market Square, 301 King St.

Free. Presented by the Alexandria Singers, the Washington area's “Premier Pops Chorus.” The Singers welcome featured guests in this performance.

Children in the Church Yard

Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 8-9, 1 to 4 p.m.

Christ Church, 118 N. Washington St.

Free. Historic Christ Church presents family friendly activities, rest area and moon bounce.