Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE) has announced that more than two-hundred artists across the nation have been notified of acceptance for the 24th annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival (NVFAF) on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17. Festival jurors have selected artists in ten categories of fine art and craft to exhibit and sell their works at GRACE’s event, which is one of the largest independent outdoor art festivals on the east coast, attracting crowds of 30,000 – 50,000 over two days.
GRACE will present NVFAF on the streets of Reston Town Center with more than 200 booths featuring original paintings, photography, mixed-media, sculpture, jewelry and fine craft, plus live music performances and much more for all tastes and ages. New at the festival this year, GRACE’s free hands-on art activities for children will take place in Reston Town Center Pavilion while at Town Square Park, a monumental public art sculpture by internationally renowned earth artist, Patrick Dougherty, will be displayed. Dance performances choreographed to respond to the sculpture will be presented during the weekend by Reston Community Center, one of the festival’s Signature Community Sponsors.
NVFAF booths are open for two days, rain or shine, Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday, May 17 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Reston Town Center, at 11900 Market Street, Reston. The festival begins with GRACE’s Festival Launch Party in the Pavilion, sponsored by The M Group, on Friday, May 15 from 6 until 8:30 p.m. with food, entertainment, a silent auction, plus a chance to mingle with the artists in town for the big weekend event. Tickets for the party are $75 per person. Weekend festival admission is a voluntary donation of $5 per adult which provides a program with map and dining certificates from local restaurants. For more information, call GRACE at 703-471-9242 and visit their website, www.restonarts.org.