The Bethesda Row Arts Festival transforms four blocks downtown Bethesda into an outdoor art gallery featuring fine arts and crafts for sale from 190 museum quality artists in the Bethesda Row area of Bethesda, Maryland.
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SHOW INFORMATION
16th Annual 2013 Bethesda Row Arts Festival
Saturday, October 19th – 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, October 20th – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission is FREE.
The outdoor event is held rain or shine on Bethesda Row located on Woodmont and Bethesda Avenues, Elm Street. The festival is in easy walking distance from the Bethesda Metro station and 15 minutes from downtown Metrorail stops. Numerous FREE and paid parking garages (49 and 57) are conveniently located near the Festival.
Each October, the streets of Bethesda Row are transformed into an outdoor art gallery of spectacular fine arts and crafts. More than 300,000 people have enjoyed the Bethesda Row Arts Festival in the heart of Bethesda’s designated Arts & Entertainment District since it began in 1997. This year many of the world’s finest arts and crafts will be presented.
The Festival, features the work of 190 leading fine artists and crafters from the Mid-Atlantic and around the country. On display will be the finest in: ceramics, drawings, fabrics, glass, graphics, jewelry, metalwork, paintings, pastels, photography, printmaking, sculpture, wood and mixed media. The Festival has been widely recognized as one of the top fine arts festivals in the United States.
Live Music
Acoustical live music with well recognized local artists representing a number of genres is presented on our stage at the intersection of Elm Street and Woodmont Avenue.
Dining
Bethesda Row offers over 30 options from ice cream to fine dining – complete listing. The Festival additionally offers convenient carry away options from a number of quality licensed vendors.
Event & Community Activities
The Bethesda Row Arts Festival offers an Art Sale thanks to donations from participating artists benefiting the NIH Children’s Charities, the charity also presents children’s art activities available for a small donation. The Bethesda Row Arts Festival raises funds and awareness for the NIH Children’s Charities, which include The Children’s Inn, Camp Fantastic/Special Love, Inc., and Friends of the Clinical Center. These three wonderful organizations are instrumental in providing much needed support for young patients and their families. The Festival will continue its support of the community with proceeds from the Art Sale, Children’s Activities and Sponsorship funds, benefitting NIH Children’s Charities.
Bethesda Row is a sensory delight. A popular dining and gathering place, Bethesda Row covers four city blocks and features more than 50 fine shops, upscale galleries, unique restaurants, and an eight-screen movie theater. Low-rise retail and office buildings create a very pleasing, human-scale, town-center feel. The architecture is eclectic, ranging from art deco to southwest to postmodern in style.
Attractive cobblestone sidewalks, wooden and wrought-iron benches, trees and shrubbery round out the welcoming atmosphere of Bethesda Row, the recipient of three prestigious awards in 2002 – an Urban Land Institute Award for Excellence, a Congress for New Urbanism Charter Award and a Washington Smart Growth Alliance Recognition Award.
Bethesda Row is owned and managed by Federal Realty Investment Trust, a Rockville, Maryland based equity real estate investment trust (REIT). An industry leader for more than 40 years, Federal Realty specializes in the ownership, management, development and re-development of shopping centers and retail properties across the country. Shares of Federal Realty are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol: FRT
FESTIVAL FAQ
How many artists exhibit at the Festival?
We will have almost 190 juried fine artists as well as 18 returning winners from the 2012 show attending the 2013 festival.
Can I volunteer to help out at the Festival?
Yes, for more information on volunteering at the festival please see our Contact Us page,
Does the festival go on rain or shine?
Yes! The Arts Festival is a rain or shine event.
What address can I use for my GPS to get to the Festival?
7200 Woodmont Ave Bethesda MD will take you to the center of the Arts Festival. For more information on parking and festival location please see our Contact Us page.
Are there restrooms at the Festival?
Yes, we have portable restrooms available in two locations within the festival, on Elm Street next to Baja Fresh, right before Bethesda Lane as well as in the middle of Bethesda Ave next to Dunkin Donuts.
Where can I park?
There are both many parking options available during the Arts Festival. Public parking garage #57 is located directly adjacent to the Festival, but please keep in mind access to this garage is ONLY from Bethesda Ave. On Elm Street, there is paid parking near Arlington Rd. For full parking information please see our map of parking in downtown Bethesda here.
