Despite the inclement weather, thousands of residents and visitors made the trip to downtown Ocala for the 53rd installment of the Ocala Arts Festival.
Watch our video recap of this year’s event:
The two-day event, which took place on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., saw approximately 20,000 visitors, according to Fine Arts of Ocala (FAFO). Over 150 artists participated in this year’s event and over 23 student performing arts groups performed. Additionally, nearly 2,000 pieces of student art work were displayed during the event.
Dozens of artists from around the United States showcased a variety of art, including mixed media, photography, sculptures, and acrylics, to name a few. This year’s featured artist, Michelle McDowell Smith, is originally from Jacksonville and now calls St. Johns home. Smith displayed a variety of her mixed media art. To view Smith’s works and purchase some of her limited edition prints, visit the Michelle McDowell Smith website.
Many of the artists hailed from various parts of Florida. Karyn Adamek, who has been welding metal sculptures for over a decade, is based out of Lutz, Florida. Adamek had a variety of her handcrafted horse sculptures on display during the event. See some of Adamek’s sculptures below, and find more information at Karyn Adamek‘s website.
David A. Julian creates digital art and photos that feature animals and imagery from his travels. Julian has traveled across the United States to showcase both his photography and his digital art. Check out his complete collection and schedule by visiting the David A. Julian website.
The $5,000 award for “Best in Show” was awarded to William Kidd for his work in ceramics. Kidd, who has been a frequent participant in the Ocala Arts Festival, makes ceramics that are inspired by nature to show other worldly structures. See some of his work by visiting the William Kid Ceramics website.
Throughout the event, the downtown square was filled with live music much to the delight of those sitting around the stage. The music was produced by a variety of popular local musicians and singers, including Left on Broadway, the Greg Snider Quartet, and Caly and Megan.
The festival is operated by Fine Arts for Ocala (FAFO) as part of their series of events to raise money to benefit the arts and associated programs throughout the city for over the past five decades.
To learn more about FAFO, it’s events, or how to get involved with the organization, visit the Fine Arts for Ocala website.