Cottonwood Art Festival

October 5 - 6, 2019

Art lovers, collectors, creatives; live music fans; and travelers looking for a weekend getaway in Texas: you’re invited to the Cottonwood Art Festival in Richardson! This free art festival, held in Cottonwood Park the first full weekend of May and October, is a juried art show in which more than 1,000 compete to be one of the approximately 250 chosen artists to display before festival attendees.

Visit the festival and you can browse and buy museum-quality art, as well as interact with the artists themselves. Live music from Dallas and Fort Worth-area bands, an interactive children’s area, food vendors, and a craft beer garden are a few of the other attractions at this Richardson art festival. Check it out for yourself and you’ll see why this festival is one of the most popular events in Richardson.

As many as 14 genres of art, including drawings, paintings, wood, and ceramics are represented at the festival. With the high stakes of the competition, you’re sure to see top artists showing off their very best work. See the treasures of acclaimed artists like Alexander Brown’s majestic wood sculptures and the imaginative mixed-media creations of Vic Lee.

The Cottonwood Art Festival also provides plenty of hands-on activities for youngsters at ArtStop, an interactive children’s area where imaginations can run wild. Yarn weaving, painting, pottery, and more creative activities can be found in ArtStop. There’s also the Emerging Artists Program, which mentors high-school-aged students to express themselves through art and learn the exhibiting process. Students take part in a competition, and the winning student artists will be on display during the May festival.

There are a number of other things to see and do while you’re checking out the works from lauded artists from across the country. Take a break at the lush Cottonwood Lakeside Courtyard, listen to live music from talented local bands at The Main Stage, shop at Cottonwood’s Boutique, and enjoy a unique beer from craft breweries like Deep Ellum Brewing Company and Community Beer Co. at the Craft Beer Garden.

Admission to the Cottonwood Art Festival is free, and the twice-annual event is rain or shine in Cottonwood Park. Parking is available across the street at the Richardson High School football stadium, and there’s a free shuttle between the lot and the festival grounds.

A wide variety of top-class art paired with hands-on children’s activities, tons of live music, and all the other things to see and do make the Cottonwood Art Festival a great time for aficionados and families alike.