Walk the Walk and Chalk the Chalk at West Main Arts Festival This Weekend

One of the city’s arts festivals will have a whole new look this year, including a colorful new activity sponsored by Downtown Arlington and a new location in the Cultural District.

The call to go west has wooed the West Main Arts Festival, which takes place from noon until 8:00 p.m. Saturday, May 8. Formerly the East Main Arts Festival, this year festival organizers relocated the event from the eastern to western side of Main Street in Downtown to create adjacencies with Create Arlington, Arlington Museum of Art, and other businesses, cultural entities and parking. 

West Main Arts Festival will feature over 75 local artists and vendors along a three-block stretch of Main Street. Artists will be exhibiting and selling original work in a variety of media including painting, sculpting, and pottery. There will be live music and entertainment throughout the day from two performing arts stages. 

As a part of Downtown Arlington’s sponsorship of the 2021 West Main Arts Festival, brother and sister team Lucas and Mary Dooley will be creating three different chalk art designs on the sidewalks along the festival grounds. You’re invited to chalk right along with them! Chalk will be provided, just check in at the Downtown Arlington sponsor booth at the festival to pick up free chalk and a free copy of the Downtown Arlington coloring book (for inspiration) while supplies last.

Even though West Main Arts Festival is an outdoor event, masks are recommended for all who attend. Parking and admission is free. Families and pets are welcome. For more information about attending the festival or participating as an artist, click here. You can also find more information on the festival’s Facebook event page.  #WMAF2021 

Downtown Arlington, in partnership with Create Arlington, will be providing a Facebook Live stream of some of the live music, sponsor information, chalk art demos, and other artist activities from West Main Arts Festival. 

Dining Out in Downtown    

What’s an artful day in Downtown Arlington without enjoying some gastronomical creations? Check out our Downtown Arlington restaurant directory or visit our Downtown Delivers platform for information about food delivery, curbside pick-up, and dog-friendly patio locations.

Downtown Outdoors        

Discover and experience the great outdoors in the heart of our city through Downtown Outdoors! Downtown Outdoors not only helps us see Arlington’s historical and cultural district in new ways, but creates opportunities to engage with our outdoor spaces through creative new programming like West Main Arts Festival and Chalk the Chalk which are open to all. Visit Downtown Outdoors on our website for more ideas and activities.
 

Photo from Create Arlington website.