ARLINGTON, Texas—Arlington residents love their festivals, and they’ll have an opportunity to get their fest-on at the city’s DreamFest, scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Billed as Arlington’s biggest block party, DreamFest is set to begin at 7 p.m. Friday at the event venue, Levitt Pavilion. The three-day festival will feature free live music, food trucks and an extensive vendor market.
Residents got a taste of what’s to come in early April, when festival enthusiasts gathered on South Street for the South Street Art Festival. Attendees got to explore different types of art including paintings, jewelry and music among others.
A variety of vendors from all across the Metroplex displayed work that uniquely represents their life and personalities.
Katherine Urban, owner of The Creative Easel, is an example of art representing an artist as her work showcases marine life in paintings, calendars and even bookmarks. Urban said she has a degree in art although she also considered oceanography, which explains her artwork.
Urban is a teacher full time near Greenville and has her business on the side by selling through Etsy and social media as well as by attending art festivals like this one.
“I try to support small businesses, too,” Urban said. “I think it’s big to give back to the community.”
Morgan Gray, owner of M.Gray Ceramics, said she wants her work to be a part of people’s everyday lives, whether that is by having coffee in one of her mugs in the morning or using one of her jewelry trays to store their jewelry.
Gray said she started in ceramics when she was 16 years old and has a degree in ceramics. She said that after college she moved to Austin and worked as a production thrower for a studio before working on her own creations.
Gray said that her favorite part about participating in art festivals is connecting with other people and other artists and being able to hear their stories.
“I think that it’s so important to see the beauty and the details of a modern maker,” Gray said.
Dusbelis Moran, owner of Dusbe Shop, a custom jewelry business in Carrolton, said she works in her business full time after leaving her previous job around five years ago.
Moran said she works bringing her business to different cities through art festivals and farmers markets. She said the farthest she’s traveled for a festival is San Antonio.
Moran said it is important to support local businesses, as it takes a lot of effort to manage a small business and that it is good to keep money local.
