Fall Festival of the Arts expected to draw thousands to Deland
Event to feature about 160 artists displaying paintings, sculpture, jewelry, more
DELAND — For the second weekend in a row, DeLand is set to see another surge in visitors.
Between 40,000 and 50,000 people are expected to come to the area this weekend for the annual Fall Festival of the Arts, said Dorothy Dansberger, the festival’s administrator.
About 160 artists, most of whom are Florida-based, on Saturday and Sunday will fill the streets of downtown with their works — painting, sculpture, jewelry and more.
The festival, a joint effort of Museum of Art DeLand and Mainstreet DeLand Association, runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
DeLand saw an influx in visitors last weekend for the Sport Aviation Showcase.
Dansberger, the museum’s director of finance and operations, said there are slightly fewer artists this year compared with the 2019 festival.
“Interestingly enough, it’s mostly because artists who were invited to show and accepted our invitation are calling and having to cancel because they have sold out of their work in the previous festivals they’ve been at recently,” Dansberger said by phone Wednesday.
The event was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Dansberger said precautions
will be taken in the form of sanitizing stations and directional arrows to try and keep foot traffic moving in one direction.
In addition to art as far as the eye can see, the event will feature live entertainment, some of which begins Friday night.
Poetry slams will take place Friday through Sunday, according to the festival’s website: 112 E. New York Ave. Saturday, 2 p.m., at The Blind Pig, 148 W. New York
Ave. Sunday, 2 p.m., at Chess Park, 125 W. Indiana Ave.
There also will be live music acts beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday on stages throughout downtown.
Altamonte Springs resident Lauren Austin, this year’s featured artist, is a mixed-media quilter.
As the event’s featured artist, one of Austin’s works is on the event’s poster, which, in addition to T-shirts, will be available for purchase at the festival. Attendees also can visit Austin in booth No. 47.
For information, visit fallfestivaloftheartsdeland.com.