Top 10 Things Enjoy & Appreciate at
Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival
The Woodlands, TX (April 5, 2023) – The 2023 Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival will soon come to life along the banks of The Woodlands Waterway and Town Green Park on the weekend of Friday, April 14 through Sunday, April 15. As a long-standing springtime tradition for families and local residents for 18 years, the festival is a jewel of the Texas fine arts tour and is ranked among the top arts festivals in the country, and has been voted as the Best Event in The Woodlands.
Here’s a rundown of the top ten things to enjoy and appreciate this year at Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival:
#1 First Look Friday Returns!
Take a half day on Friday to enjoy art with fewer crowds. Additionally, from 1 PM to 4 PM, Outerbound Wines will be pouring a special wine tasting flight for $25 at Wine on The Water. This is the perfect extra-long lunch break to kick off a weekend of relaxation on The Woodlands Waterway.
#2 The ART DASH presented by The Woodlands Compounding Pharmacy
Cap off an incredible first day of perusing art by attending The Art Dash Party at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Ballroom. The Art Dash is one of the most anticipated local events of the season, offering attendees with a 60-Second Dash ticket the chance to capture a beautiful piece of art. This year’s event has a Nighttime Garden Party theme and will also feature “Art Is Blooming,” a floral competition, British tea inspired bites, and delicious cocktails. Buy tickets here: https://www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org/events/2023/2023-art-dash-party
#3 Enjoy The Artists
With over 200+ fine artists to visit, you will need the whole weekend to take it all in! Plan to support these incredible independent artists and scout your favorites online. Explore the artists in advance here: https://www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org/businesses.
#4 Live Music
The soundtrack to Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival starts on the Stella Artois Main Stage! Performers set the perfect pitch while you enjoy craft beer, local food and plot your next art purchase. And don’t miss the acoustic sets on the Hometown Stage at the front of Town Green Park or performances from local groups on the Arts & Culture Stage in ARTopoly on the west end of the Waterway.
#5 ARTopoly & Masterpiece Mania!
Art is for everyone with creative activities for the whole family on Saturday & Sunday! ARTopoly, in partnership with The Woodlands Children’s Museum, brings the west end of The Woodlands Waterway to life with fun crafts like sun catchers, graffiti hats and more.
For the first time ever, groups of all ages can take part in art at Masterpiece Mania! Grab a paintbrush and contribute to a community art mural by Vickie McMillan or sign up to explore gelli plate printing & leaf painting. These projects are made possible by The Woodlands Arts Council Artist Microgrant and the Because Art Matters! committee.
#6 Local Eats & Drinks
Visit Wine on The Lawn presented by Martha Turner Sotheby’s, grab a glass of wine and take a seat at Books On The Green to watch an author Q&A. If wine isn’t your thing, coffee and craft beer are also available! Once you have meandered through the maze of artists in Town Green Park, pick up a snack or lunch at The Palette Cafe featuring Fielding’s Wood Grill, The Back Table Kitchen & Bar, and Russo’s NY Pizzeria. At ARTopoly, the kids can fill their creativity tanks with Jersey Dogs & Dulce Vida Treats and Abundant Harvest Food Truck!
#7 ARTFEEL
On Sunday, the quarterly public art program ARTfeel hosted by Nickole Kerner Bobley takes to the Stella Artois Main stage. The first show, “Purple Bromeliads,” is a 22-minute modern dance performance by Adam Castaneda. The second show, performed by area artists in myriad mediums, uses the festival’s featured artist Cathra-Anne Barker’s “Turtle Pond” ceramic artwork as a creative prompt. The show asks a simple question, “How does art make you feel?”.
#8 Books On The Green
In partnership with Village Books, Books on the Green features readings by an impressive line-up of authors representing a range of genres, including romance, history, poetry, mystery, adventure, and literary fiction. Featured books (as well as others) are available for purchase at Books on the Green and can be signed by the authors following their presentations. Also on hand will be representatives from the Montgomery County Memorial Library System who will sign up attendees for library cards, as well as offer bookmark origami and Tiny Art for the kids and tongue-in-cheek tattoo book recommendations for adults! Art lovers can even make their mark on a one-of-a-kind piece of art by noted artist Marlo Saucedo.
#9 Zero Waste Goals
Help us reach our goal of being a 100% recycled & composted event! Our festival Green team and partners Zero Waste The Woodlands & Woodlands Escapes provide Trash, Compost & Recycling receptacles throughout the event. Last year our audience did a great job and we were a 98% recycled & composted event. Do your part and take the time to place waste in the correct bins!
#10 Skip The Lines – BUY ONLINE
Don’t miss out on any of the fun by purchasing your admission ticket online and planning your parking strategy at https://www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org/p/buytickets. By purchasing your ticket online you help The Woodlands Arts Council maintain a safe event environment & you SAVE MONEY. Ticket prices increase at the event. All ticket proceeds benefit The Woodlands Arts Council’s year-round programs and impact students, educators and arts organizations in Montgomery County. Thank you for helping us make art matter!
Want to take on a bigger role? Sign up to volunteer! Volunteer perks include festival admission and a commemorative t-shirt! This event wouldn’t be possible without our incredible community of volunteers and patrons.
Generous festival sponsors include: Title Sponsor – Fidelity Investments; Anchor Sponsors – The Howard Hughes Corporation, The Woodlands Compounding Pharmacy, Stella Artois, and Visit The Woodlands; Official Festival Sponsors – Martha Turner - Sotheby’s International Realty, The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, The Woodlands Township, Garcia Real Estate Group, Charbonneau Interiors, America’s ER, and Postino The Woodlands; Festival Sponsors – Leaf Guard, Precision Camera and Video, Renewal by Andersen, The Woodlands Art Gallery and Studios, The Woodlands Mall, Woodlands Escapes, and Zero Waste Houston; Program Sponsors – Evamor, Market Street, PODS Moving & Storage, Medical Edge Recruitment, Woodforest National Bank, and Alpha & Omega; Media Sponsors – Woodlands Online, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, Hello Woodlands, Mauricio Ramirez Photography, and Nebular Films.