Cottonwood Arts Festival

Cottonwood Art Festival is a perfect weekend destination to spend with all ages of family and friends. 2x a year in Richardson. Juried Artist from all over ! Music on a shady stage overlooking the water and ducks. Food trucks and craft beer. Lot's of dogs and babies with great music and art what more could you ask for in life. Oh yeah great people watching.

Can't believe I haven't been in years. A loooooonnng time ago before it took off I attended. I just haven't been back... until today.Artists from all over the country displaying their talent. Finely curated by the organizers,there is no junk, trinkets or souvenirs. One reason I usually avoid these fest.I did see one painting I wanted, already sold.I'll be back next year and you should too.

This is a free, 2-day, art festival located at Cottonwood Park in southwest Richardson. This is a juried art event, so you will only find high quality artwork here from artists who travel from different parts of the country. This is not "artwork"from your aunt sally mae who decided to take up painting at the senior center because she had free time in retirement. Much of the art has a price tag of hundreds to thousands of dollars, but some artists sell cheaper prints of their original works. In addition to paintings, you will find sculptures, metalwork, and textiles. You don't have to spend a dime though. You can come enjoy and walk through the aisles of artwork for free. There are only two types of booths you will find at this event: art and food. That's it! No insurance, banks, health fads, candles, or other non-relevant businesses are allowed. It's just high quality art. The food booths include some fair type food like corn dogs and churros, but there are a few local restaurants invited to setup too like Tongue in Cheek ice cream and Aw Shucks oyster bar. All vendors accept credit cards. Lines get long, so be prepared to wait. There are two stages where you can see musicians perform live. Tables and chairs are setup in the shade where you can rest. You can even enjoy a beer!There is a children's area where kids can make art. It's closed off from the general public which is fantastic for both kids who want to explore making art and adults who don't want to have anything to do with them. The festival happens twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. It is outdoors, so come prepared for hot, sunny weather because it is usually quite warm. Parking takes place across the street at Richardson High School. There are police on duty to make sure traffic stops on Belt Line so you can safely cross. Some people park in the neighborhood too, but there is limited availability. All parking is free. Dogs are allowed, but the narrow aisles make it difficult to navigate with a pup. With the weather frequently very hot, it is best to leave Fido at home. Photography is generally frowned upon by the artists. Many have signs on their booths stating, "No Photography". If you like what you see, consider buying a piece you can enjoy at home. Sidewalk chalk art competition was added this year. You could enter as a team or individual and decorate a section of sidewalk in a timed period. People then have the opportunity to vote on your work through a posted QR code leading to a city website. This art festival was one of the reasons we moved to Richardson and this neighborhood. I'm inspired every time I go. You're going to love it!

Being newer to the area, we weren't certain what to expect. We found a nice event and a great way to spend time taking in art of different varieties, music and food. They had quite a few booths with artists from all around (Texas and other states) and who used different mediums for their craft. They have food trucks with different offerings and had a craft beer/wine based drink tent. There were a few different stages with music throughout the day so it was nice to get a beverage and sit and enjoy some music after we had gone through half of the artists. Dogs were welcome and people were friendly. Definitely something worth going to year after year to see if they feature different artists for the music and physical art.

If you just want a day in the sun surroundes by art, music, and food, this is the place for you. Great for the while family. Bring you're walking shoes and consider a blanket for a picnic on the hill.

Parking was a pain and there was not much difference in the art vendors. Beautiful day and nice to get out but you need diversity with the vendors.

LOVE the Cottonwood Arts Festival and applaud the City of Richardson for putting it on! They do a fantastic job selecting a nice variety of vendors for art and food as well as music. Parking can be problematic at peak times, but I can honestly say I have always found a place, sometimes just not as close as I would like, but hey, that is the sign of a happening event, so I will take it!Thanks to the coordinators, artists, musicians, police and other security for making this a safe and fun outing for my family each Spring and Fall, you all do an amazing job, keep up the great work!

I have been going to the Cottonwood Festival for many years and have always enjoyed my experience.The Cottonwood is held bi-annually in May and October. What you will find is an assortment of artists with a varying span of talent. This means you will find sculptors, painters, jewelry makers and even some decorative items. The talent is always strong and I have never noticed a cheap or tacky vendor. This is what I know I can count on at the Cottonwood festival is quality.The location is Cottonwood Park which is surrounded by a small pond. You have a certain area designed for booze, lots of food booths (one actual area designated for that plus some scattered about), live music and of course, the art. Kids have their own section where you can purchase tickets and they can make their own art which is pretty cool.My mother's favorite jewelry vendor is Marty and Zeke and if you are into silver, turquoise and coral jewelry you will love their craft. They are very popular. In past years I have purchased items from jewelry to bookmarks all the way up to a nude black and white framed photograph I have in my bathroom at my house to my favorite item which are decorative wooden bowls made from wood pieces in Alabama that are dipped in a bronze-like coating and mounted on pedestals. This was a couple of artists from Alabama who I haven't seen in recent years but they made really great stuff. Another one of my favorite artists is Robert Hurst who is from Austin. A nationally known artist Robert has been appointed to do many works over the years of famous singers and sports figures. I have one of his limited edition autographed Emmitt Smith pieces he did a few years ago that I purchased at Cottonwood. You can pretty much count on Robert to be at the Cottonwood each year and his stuff will be very popular.Entry is FREE and Cottonwood is dog friendly. If you are in the North Dallas area during the time of Cottonwood it pays to stop by and see for yourself.

I Can't wait to see all of the art this year! What beats FREE and fun....OH AND LIVE MUSIC TOO?!? Go grab a wine, beer, or lemon chill and enjoy some local art! And bring the pooch! There are artists from all over the world that venture over here to our small park twice a year every year, since before i was born. The festival has some mindblowingly talented artists who do everything: metal work, hand blown glass, paintings, random multimedia art, and much more. They even showcase the local aspiring youth artists...truly amazing.Oh and even better, our fur babies are more than welcome to join in on the fun...with a leash of course!Support art. It's worth it!

I loved this festival. The weather was great and the vendors were art with all kinds of art. The vibe was relaxed and it felt like you were on a porch with friends. The variety of art was impressive. It reminded me of the manor street arts festival in Fort Worth. The live music was a great touch. The man mad lake was great for the kids