14th Annual King Street Art Festival: This Weekend in Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Always dedicated to its incredible arts and culture, Alexandria will welcome back the annual (and free!) King Street Art Festival Saturday and Sunday, transforming the city's historic main street into an outdoor art gallery.

Festival booths will line King Street between Washington and Union streets, featuring more than six blocks of artwork by more than 250 artists from the United States and abroad.

At this community festival, art enthusiasts will discover paintings, life-size sculpture, jewelry, photography, ceramics and more, offering art for every taste, organizers said in an announcement about the festival. More than $15 million in art will be on display, providing visitors with the opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind wares and meet the artists behind the work, hearing firsthand what inspires them.

Plus, visitors will enjoy a variety of local activities and performances throughout the weekend, including live music, hands-on activities and art happenings. The Art League's popular Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser will return, featuring 1,400 handmade ceramic bowls and local artisanal ice cream, all for only $15 per bowl.

There is even more art to be found across Union Street, at the Torpedo Factory Art Center. Visitors can come inside to explore 82 working studios and seven galleries filled with handmade work by more than 165 local artists. On both days, festival-goers can meet some of the Torpedo Factory artists at Market Square and watch them at their craft.

Hours for the festival are:
Saturday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 18, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The festival will take place in Old Town Alexandria on King Street, from Washington Street to the Potomac River waterfront. If you're coming from outside the area, you can take the metro to the King Street metro station and grab a ride on the free trolley.

If you're driving, the navigational address is: 480 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Sponsors include The Lincoln Motor Company, MGM National Harbor, McEnearney Associates, Elofts, The Lasik Vision Institute, 395 Express Lanes, Renewal by Andersen and Gutter Helmet.

PHOTO courtesy of Howard Alan Events & American Craft Endeavors