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Calling All Art Lovers!

If you’re looking for inspiration, entertainment, or just to quench your curiosity then Alexandria, Virginia won’t disappoint. There’s something for art lovers of all varieties this September as the Alexandria Festival of the Arts returns to the streets of Old Town. The free outdoor festival will line six blocks of King Street from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, September 10, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, September 11, 2005.  Now in its third season, the festival kicks off Alexandria’s Fall for the Arts. 

King Street, from Washington Street east to Union Street, will be transformed into an outdoor gallery featuring 200 of the nation's top artists offering sculptures, paintings, photography, glass, jewelry and more.  Enhancing the local flavor of the festival are more then 20 artists from around the region, including Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland.  A Regional Artists Juried Exhibition will take place on Old Town’s historic Market Square.  Performing artists will also fill Market Square on Saturday from noon until 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 6 p.m.

The Alexandria Arts Safari has joined the festival, moving from its typical early October date.  This family-oriented event will be held at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 10.  Art demonstrations and hands-on activities will be held throughout the Art Center, which is home to more than 165 artists in 85 working studios.  On Sunday, September 11, Carlyle House Historic Park will feature a Hands-on History Tent where children can dress up in 18th century attire, play games and dance. 

Alexandria was recently named one of the Top 25 Arts Destination (mid-sized cities) by the readers of American Style Magazine. "Alexandria fosters a vibrant arts culture with its rich and plentiful historic sites, numerous fine art, craft, jewelry and antique galleries, and artist studios and art centers," said Hope Daniels, American Style's Editor-in-Chief. "Business and community leaders in Alexandria have recognized the aesthetic and economic benefits that art brings to the City," she said.

Located minutes from Washington, DC, along the Potomac River, Alexandria is nationally recognized for its abundance of chic boutiques, national retail shops, historic attractions and award-winning restaurants.

For further information about the festival, contact the Alexandria Visitors Center at 800-388-9119 or visit www.FunSideofthePotomac.com.

Edited by Erika Wright

Photo credits:
1. "Marketsquare" by Anna Frame
2. "Seaport" by Erik Kvalsvik

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