The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival has earned a spot on the “Top 100 for 2010” festival listing by Art Fair Source Book, the definitive guide to the best juried art and craft fairs in the United States

The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival, ranked No. 68 out of 564 festivals nationwide in the Fine Art and Fine Craft category based on net average sales per artist, will be held the weekend of April 10-11 in The Woodlands Town Center along the banks of The Woodlands Waterway. This year ’s festival will feature approximately 200 fine arts and crafts artists selected to exhibit in this juried show.  More than 674 artists applied this year.

 “We are extremely proud to be named among the Top 100 list of festivals in the nation, ” said Brenda Gottlieb, festival executive director. “In just five years, we’ve achieved a great reputation in the short amount of time we’ve been in business. That success is attributed to the great setting that the Waterway offers, as well as the contributions from our generous sponsors and dedicated volunteers.  We look forward to another record turnout in April, and encourage the community and visitors alike to come out and discover great art. ”

The festival will feature national and regional artists in 14 mediums selling their original creations, including clay, drawing, fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media 2-D and 3-D, painting, pastel, photography, sculpture, textile, watercolor and wood.  

Festival hours are 10 a.m-6 p.m. on  Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Two-day tickets are $15.  Proceeds from the festival benefit local charities including The Pavilion Partners, The Woodlands Art League and The Woodlands Children ’s Museum.

 The festival stretches along the Woodlands Waterway from The Woodlands Waterway Marriott

 Guests will enjoy ample free parking, close parking for $5 in The Pavilion Garage, water taxi and trolley service, concessions within the festival site, and an array of eateries and shops within walking distance of the event. Features of the festival include interactive art activities for children in Town Green Park, student art exhibitions by public and private schools in Montgomery County, entertainment on two stages, and dining selections at Palette Caf é featuring cuisine from P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and Jasper’s Gourmet Backyard Cuisine.

New to the 2010 festival are free activities as well as unique art and live entertainment at  Waterway Square on Saturday until 8:30 p.m. and Sunday until 6 p.m. One of the highlights of this new venue is sidewalk art featuring eight highly-skilled artists from the Houston area who will create masterpieces on the sidewalks at Waterway Square using pastels. Beverages, music and food by Hubbell & Hudson will add to the festival ambiance.

This year’s featured artist is Canada’s Tanya Doskova, a printmaker from Vancouver, B.C., who has been featured in solo shows around the world. She has won many prestigious awards including the John Purcell Prize for best lithograph, the Cannon Canada Gold Award, the Readers Digest Merit Award for Editorial Illustration and the Adobe Systems Gold Award. This is the first year that a digital artist will be featured.

The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival is produced by The Woodlands Waterway Arts Council. For more information, or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, call 281-507-0343 or visit www.woodlandsartsfestival.com.