Downtown Front and Center

Front Street between Center and Mesquite Streets in Downtown Arlington, TX will be transformed into a vibrant streetscape and the adjacent vacant city-owned lot will become a park for one day, April 28, 2012 from 11 am - 3 pm.

Masters Students from the School of Urban and Public Affairs and School of Architecture at The University of Texas at Arlington are partnering to create a unique economic development opportunity in the heart of downtown Arlington. Downtown Front and Center is a temporary “better block” and park installation inspired by previous projects in Oak Cliff and downtown Dallas. It will bring together local businesses, community organizations, and UTA students, and demonstrate how a currently underutilized space can develop into something that gives back to the community. It will help participants and visitors realize the potential of downtown Arlington.

Local businesses, arts groups and artists will be there in addition to food and music. There will even be a pop up dog park. So come out and enjoy the fun. While you are there you can even stroll just down the block to the Downtown Arlington Farmers Market.

Deep Ellum Arts Festival 2012

Six blocks of Main Street in the Deep Ellum entertainment district will be transformed into one enormous street festival for three days in April. Stroll the festival and enjoy 200 top-notch juried decorative and visual artists, 100 original bands, singer/songwriters and performance artists performing from 5 different stages, the renowned Pet Parade, and plenty of food and drink. This is an “adultoriented” visual and performing arts festival. While supervised young children and teenagers are welcome during the day, there are no specifically planned activities for them.

Admission to the 18th annual Deep Ellum Arts Festival is free. Join the fun on Friday, April 6 - 5:00pm to 10:00pm; Saturday, April 7 - 11:00am to 10:00pm and Sunday, April 8 - 11:00am to 7:00pm (Easter Sunday).

While you stroll through displays of cutting-edge decorative arts and admire, commission, and purchase the art of fine artists, sculptors, muralists, jewelers, and painters, be on the lookout for the work of KBesthorn. She creates bold, colorful landscape and natural themed photographic collages. The image in this post is one of her digital photographic art pieces.