What’s the coolest thing to do in downtown Durham? Definitely, it is the CenterFest Arts Festival. Occurring in September every year, this event has tons to offer everyone! Here’s what it’s all about and how you can have some fun there this fall!
Visual Art
Visitors will find plenty of visual art at this year’s CenterFest, and perhaps the best part about the offerings is their versatility. Do you love shopping for handmade goods? Well, the art show includes delightful and fashionable pieces by artists like Wendy Allen (Miss Fit & Co), which includes hand-felted wool hats and other custom accessories. Amy Barnard (Wayward Fiberhouse), who offers cruelty-free handbags and accessories, will also be there.
For a view at the latest stunning portraiture, you’ll adore paintings by Tracy Booth (Kunigunda Studio LLC) in acrylic and oil, colorful pieces that are rich in texture. Paintings by Angela Bond feature bold colors and strongly structured figures. Bennett Glass Art, which includes the team Veronica and David Bennett, creates sculptures by soldering and welding glass with stone, fossil, and historical projects.
Activities for the Kids
If your kids are too young to get involved in art, don’t worry. Children will have plenty of fun activities, too! The Creative Kids Zone has plenty of stuff to take part in. Children can create a fun pig puppet or cute cow door hanger. They can also create maracas and make some noise!
If your kids are feeling adventurous, they can check out the clay studio tent where kids can get really imaginative and create all kinds of unique items. You can sign up for a hands-on session and see how to use the pottery wheel. Finally, CenterStage at Ninth Street Bakery includes fun for the whole family, with music and tons of programs. There are also a kids’ train, face painting, and bounce houses located at the South Bank parking lot.
Shows Galore
The festival features a long lineup of incredible and diverse performers. With four stages and back-to-back shows, you will be constantly entertained! On the 5 Points Stage on Saturday, you’ll find excellent performers like Ceil and Dan who offer classic rock music covers and original instrumental music with vocal harmonies, and Michael Daughtry, who sings upbeat rock music. Meanwhile, head over to the Herald-Sun Stage on Saturday night to see the Willie Painter Band, who are North Carolina musical veterans offering up amazing blues-jazz rhythms you can dance to as well as a bunch of rock and pop. There are dozens more shows to check out, so see the full performance list for details!
Great Charities
Visiting the CenterFest festival can be an educational experience, as many nonprofit and civic groups will come out and join in the fun. Learn about the Durham County Department of Social Services, the Animal Protection Society of Durham, or the Carolina Theatre.
Are you ready for a wonderful early fall event in Durham? You won’t want to miss out on the art, music, and community events at the CenterFest Arts Festival taking place Sept. 21-22, 2019, in the heart of downtown!
Image via Pixabay
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