HOUSTON (KIAH) — The Bayou City Art Festival Downtown is this weekend and packed with fun and interactive outdoor art festival for people of all ages. You and the entire family can enjoy one of the largest juried fine art festivals in the U.S. right here in the heart of Houston. This year once again, it’s a two-day festival that will feature the works of more than 250 national and international artists, a food truck park, two entertainment stages, craft beer garden, wine garden, an Art Bar, an Active Imagination Zone for kids of all ages, A VIP Hospitality Lounge, Collegiate Art Collective, a Culinary Arts Stage, and more!

The outdoor event offers visitors the opportunity to meet with exhibiting artists, view original works from 19 different art disciplines, and purchase world-class art, prints, jewelry, sculptures, and more at prices for everyone. 

Lots of interactive features to enjoy this weekend too! Here’s a list to check out the entire weekend.

Barbie Dream House

Step inside the Barbie Dream House area near the Active Imagination Zone in lower Sam Houston Park as the gazebo is transformed into Barbie Land complete with a giant pink shoe, sparkly pink purse, life-sized Barbie doll boxes, and a pink convertible ready for selfies along with art activities and a dress up area for the kids of all ages.

VIP Hospitality Lounge presented by Frost Bank – a tented oasis with complimentary light bites, beer, wine, and other refreshments. The relaxing setting under a canopy of trees features music, artistic décor, a phone charging station, and more.
 
Featured Artist Booth – Michelle McDowell Smith, mixed media artist from Roanoke, VA. Smith strives to create pieces that have a familiar narrative yet still convey a fresh look and allow for the unexpected. She uses acrylic paint, mixed media materials such as paper, handmade linoleum stamps, sewing patterns, maps, old letters, pages from books, and more.

 
Active Imagination Zone – A popular area of the festival that inspires artists of all ages by featuring hands-on art activities. Bayou City Art Festival’s nonprofit partners create the art activity and then roll up their sleeves and help little artists make masterpieces that they can take home. Where the fun never stops and guests of all ages can play with oversized bubbles with Jennifer Lang, visit with caricature artist Bonnie Blue, and enjoy live entertainment. 
 
Selfie Stations – While walking through the vivid outdoor art gallery stop by for selfies with the interactive cutouts of former featured artist McKenzie Fisk’s most popular paintings in the Active Imagination Zone, giant colorful “Art Fest” letters near Sam Houston Park, and a new interactive selfie frame. Selfie spots of interest:

  • Art Fest Letters in Upper Sam Houston Park
  • Barbie Boxes – in the gazebo
  • Barbie Shoe – Barbie Area
  • Barbie Purse – Barbie Area
  • Barbie Convertible – Barbie Area
  • Inflatable Diamond Ring – Barbie Area
  • McKenzie Fisk’s Cool Guy – AIZ
  • Picture Frame – West End
  • Art Cars (chalk, purple fur car, camper)
  • Big Guitar – next to the mainstage
  • Big musical note – next to the KPRC stage

Chef’s Table – Bayou City Art Festival is celebrating culinary arts with Chef’s Table – a new and intimate culinary art and tasting experience with some of Houston’s top chefs. Each chef will demonstrate a signature recipe and pass out samples to attendees after each demonstration. 

Saturday, October 14, 2023

  • 12 p.m. – Georgia James Chef Greg Peters
  • 1:30 p.m. – George’s Bistro & Bar Chef Fernando Huerta
  • 3 p.m. – Musaafer Chef Mayank Istwal
  • 4:30 p.m. – Birrio Los Primos Chef Oscar Garcia

Sunday, October 15, 2023

  • 12 p.m. – Three Keys Coffee Chef Eric Tobar
  • 1:30 p.m. – Cotton Culinary Chef Wade Schindler
  • 3 p.m. – MaKiin Chef Aphassorn “Bell” Predawan
  • 4:30 p.m. – Wolfgang Puck Catering Chef Larry de la Flor

 
Collegiate Art Collective – Four art students representing the University of Houston, Houston Community College, and Rice University will exhibit their artwork at Bayou City Art Festival as part of the Collegiate Art Collective. 
 
Art on Wheels– Bayou City Art Festival’s nonprofit partnerOrange Show Center for Visionary is cruising over to Downtown Houston and displaying some cool and fun art cars. 

Emerge: Artists on the Rise– Bayou City Art Festival invites artists with little to no experience exhibiting to showcase and sell their artwork at one of the top art festivals in the country.