The 43rd Annual Bayou City Art Festival will be both different and the same as previous festivals. Different in that there will be closer to 450 artists instead of last year’s 300. The same in that those artists will offer fine and folk artwork in some 20 mediums. Organizers hope to increase the festival’s attendance from last year’s 30,000 to 100,000 or so in the next five years and are revamping the festival with more artists, more programming and, drat!, slightly higher admission fees. This year’s featured artist is Daniel Ng, a Portland, Oregonbased painter who works in bright colors and simple shapes. He counts Van Gogh and Gauguin among his influences.
Be smart and take the parking shuttle at Northwest Mall (9950 Hempstead). Expect slightly longer admission lines and lots more to see once you get in the festival grounds.
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Memorial Park, 6501 Memorial Drive. For information, call 7135210133 or visit bayoucityartfestival.com. $15.
March 28-30, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 2014
This article appears in Mar 27 – Apr 2, 2014.