“It only gets BETTER” was the motto of the 50th anniversary edition of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, which attracted some 150,000 art aficionados during the 2013 Presidents’ Day weekend, February 16-18.
The motto was accurate, as the works of more than 380 international artists accepted for this prestigious juried show reached new heights of quality and creativity. Returning artists displayed new works showing the progression of their skills and conceptual growth, while those exhibiting for the first time brought their own unique creative energies to the mix.
The Coconut Grove Arts Festival originated as a “clothes-line” art show featuring a dozen local artists. Today, it is one the nation’s highest-ranked outdoor fine art events.
The rain god was kind
After a day of steady rain during setup on Friday, the sun came out as the festival opened on Saturday morning. Later that day a brisk breeze and plummeting temperatures ushered in a cold front, bringing some of this winter’s lowest temperatures and invigorating the trek through the festival for the rest of its run.
The event also included three days of live musical entertainment on a stage in Peacock Park, a culinary pavilion with food demonstrations and lectures, and a Global Food Village.
As in the past, I’ve prepared a slideshow highlighting art from the Coconut Grove Arts Festival that I would buy for my own collection, given unlimited funds and display space. Enjoy.
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