VisArts is presenting its 12th Annual Rockville Arts Festival on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in Rockville Town Square. The Festival will be held rain or shine. Admission is free and parking is free for the first two hours.
Throughout the weekend, VisArts will transform the streets surrounding Rockville Town Square into a vibrant outdoor gallery and artisan marketplace. Visitors can stroll the Square and enjoy one-of-a-kind art and artisanal goods, ceramics and paper craft demonstrations, food trucks, craft beer, and wine
Visitors are invited to collaborate on an art project that celebrates our community’s diversity. Participants will decorate puzzle pieces to represent their culture, heritage, and interests; the pieces will be joined to create an installation that reflects our commitment to learn about, understand, and respect one another.
The second annual chalk art competition will take place on Saturday, May 4 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (the rain date is Sunday, May 5 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.). Individual artists and groups of artists will create 25 colorful designs on Gibbs Street throughout the morning and afternoon. VisArts will award $150, $75, and $50 Festival gift certificates for first, second, and third place winners.
“We’re thrilled to host the annual Rockville Arts Festival, which offers thousands of visitors the opportunity to meet artists, view and buy art, watch art being created, and participate in art-making,” says VisArts Executive Director, Alice Nappy. “Everyone benefits from having art in their lives, and the Festival is accessible for all ages and abilities.”
The 130 featured artists from across the U.S. create some of the finest art available today – ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, glass, painting, photography, printmaking, furniture, home and garden décor, fashion and pet accessories, and more.
“The Festival offers art for casual shoppers and serious collectors, and our market features handcrafted candy and roasted nuts, natural bath and body products, crab cakes and corned beef, locally crafted beer – and more,” says Festival Director, Robin Markowitz. “It’s two days of art, food, and fun – and the perfect place to find a special gift for holidays, birthdays – or just because.”
Visitors will also be able to view VisArts’ 2024 Faculty Exhibition; “NextGen 11.0,” which showcases the work of emerging local artists; and Sarah Smith’s multimedia installation, “Thresholds of Dissent,” in VisArts’ galleries, which will be open 12-4 p.m. during the Festival.
The Festival is sponsored by the City of Rockville, Morguard, and Renewal by Anderson. Participating vendors include Sherri’s Crab Cakes, Corned Beef King, and Dawson’s Market.
About VisArts
VisArts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is a hub for the visual arts that engages nearly 30,000 visitors annually through contemporary art exhibitions, a studio artist program, art classes and camps, VisAbility Art Lab (a studio for artists with disabilities), community art programs, and the annual Rockville Arts Festival. Founded in 1987, VisArts is committed to our mission of transforming individuals and communities through the visual arts.
VisArts is located in Rockville Town Square, three blocks from the Rockville Metro station, at 155 Gibbs Street, Rockville, Md. Parking is available at Rockville Town Square garages. Galleries are open Wednesday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday, 12-4 p.m. and Friday, 12-8 p.m. Exhibitions are free and open to the public. Visit www.visartscenter.org or call 301.315.8200 for more information.