Festival Information

Gainesville, Florida, the cultural heart of north central Florida, invites you to participate in Florida's premier fall festival of the arts. The 29th Annual Downtown Festival & Art Show, recognized as one of the top best fine art shows in the nation, invites the area’s most talented artists to apply. More than 250 of the nation’s finest artists will display original oils and acrylics, vibrant watercolors, unique sculptures, dazzling jewelry, decorative ceramics and vivid photography. Over 100,000 visitors will have the opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind art work amid the charming, tree-lined streets of historic Downtown Gainesville on Saturday, Nov. 6 and Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010.  Artists will compete for $18,000 in cash prizes and purchase awards. Applications for the Downtown Festival & Art Showare available upon request at (352) 393-8536 or by downloading the below link. The application deadline is May 14, 2010.

Downloadable Application
(Requires the free Adobe Acrobat)

Art enthusiasts from around the region travel to Gainesville, the cultural heart of north central Florida, to view and purchase original artwork created by distinguished artists. Indulge in a diverse selection of appetizing foods and enjoy continuous, live music and entertainment on three stages. The Children’s Imagination Station, which offers free, interactive entertainment and creative hands-on art activities for children and families, is always an exciting part of the show.  The Community Information Area presents a venue for non-profit organizations to showcase their services.

The Downtown Festival & Art Show, a nationally recognized event, helps Gainesville get in touch with its creative side. Since 1996, it has ranked among the top festivals in the nation. Sunshine Artist magazine ranked the Downtown Festival & Art Show no. 27 among the best 200 fine art shows in 2009, and Greg Lawler’s Art Fair SourceBook included the show in its list of the nation’s top 100 fine art festivals.

Join one of Gainesville’s most beloved events, the 29th Annual Downtown Festival & Art Show, the premier fall festival of the arts!

Festival Rules
(click for Festival rules)

• Festival Information
• Press Releases
• Artist Application
• Volunteer Program
• Art Sponsor Program
• Entertainment Schedule
• Festival Artists
• Directions & Hotel Sponsors
• Festival Sponsors
• Email Us

Mailing address: Station 30
PO Box 490
Gainesville, FL 32602

The 29th Annual Downtown Festival & Art Show is proud to present this year’s poster artist, Hugo Cruz.  The featured artwork, “The Clock Tower,” showcases his use of infrared photography to reveal new perspectives of the familiar world around us.  As Hugo attests, “I fell in love with infrared photography primarily because of its ability to expose the ethereal and invisible universe of the infrared spectrum.  It is equivalent to having a new sense … an enhanced vision that manifests the hidden beauty of common subjects that we may have taken for granted.”  His unconventional artistry presents a vivid, new take on Gainesville’s downtown Clock Tower, an iconic structure that is rich in history and grace.

Hugo Cruz, a Gainesville resident, graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts.  After graduating, he had a successful career as a graphic artist, designer and publisher, but his passion was always creating unique art in different mediums.  As a self-taught artist with an avid affinity to learn new techniques, he recently decided to dedicate himself to art full time.  Cruz’s current focus is in three distinct and captivating mediums: infrared photography, metal art and acrylic painting.

Downloadable Application
(Requires the free Adobe Acrobat)