By Kathy L. Collins
The Seventh Annual Winthrop Arts Festival will be held on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Winthrop Town Centre located at the intersection of Providence Rd. and Bloomingdale in Riverview. The festival will be held in Winthrop Common behind the Egg & I.
This year’s festival will feature fine arts and crafts along with entertainment and food. The Brandon Ballet will perform along with local musicians. The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) Union will be making and selling barbeque. There will be a children’s arts area, and the community will be introduced to the Winthrop Arts Factory.
The Winthrop Arts Festival is an opportunity for the public to not only see fine art, but to meet the talented artists and make an investment in fine art from the person who personally created it. The fine arts will include weaving, pottery, sculptures, paintings, glass and photography. There will be a wide variety of fine craftsmen showcasing their work as well.
The Winthrop Arts Festival is a juried show. Artwork will be judged by Kay Sullivan, John Hardin of Hillsborough Community College and Debra Bryant, a local artist. Awards for Best of Show, First, Second, Third and Honorable Mention will be announced at an Artists’ Banquet scheduled for Saturday, March 21 at 7 p.m. at Sketch N Sip.
Festival organizer and Winthrop Town Centre Artist, Bryant Martinez said, “I love the Winthrop Arts Festival because it is not only about art. It is a great community event. Art is a great way to teach and start a conversation. I invite everyone to come out and enjoy two days of fun. The Winthrop Arts Festival is also a chance for the community to see and talk to representatives from many fine non-profits, such as ECHO, VSA, MOSI and the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.”
The community is asked to bring a non-perishable item to ECHO’s table to help fill its food pantry.
For more information on the Seventh Annual Winthrop Arts Festival, visit www.winthropartsfestival.org.
