Doylestown Arts Festival

Searching for an excuse to enjoy one of the last weekends of summer? Look no further than the 19th Annual Doylestown Arts Festival, which begins bright and early on Saturday, September 11th and Sunday, September 12th. Head to the streets of downtown Doylestown to give summer a proper send-off, where this two-day, juried fest offers more than 150 artisans, as well as multiple stages for live music and plenty of activities for the kids.

Discover your new favorite artist at this year’s festival, hosted by the Doylestown Business and Community Alliance (DBCA) and sponsored by The Thompson Organization (www.1800thompson.com). Doylestown is proud to present a wide variety of innovative local artwork, from watches made of wood and leather to handmade guitars and 2D creations and watercolor, there is something for everyone.

Live music is presented at locations throughout the downtown area. This year, local School of Rock owner Michael Morpurgo was invited to join the Doylestown Arts Festival as entertainment coordinator. Mike is a 20 year music professional and a lifelong Bucks County resident. He states, “It’s such a great event with lots of history and we hope to make this as good as years past.” He promises an eclectic mix of rock, jazz, blues, funk, folk, metal, soul and plenty of kid-friendly performers as well. There are over 60 performers and groups this year and 90% of them hail from the area. As Mike says, “This is a Bucks County arts fest, so I felt we needed to bring more local talent to the stages.”

Repeat festival goers will recognize familiar artisans as well as some new faces like Dave and Mindy Spray of Creative Wood Designs by DAMI. According to Mindy, “This is our first year participating. Doylestown has a great reputation for attendance and quality of artisans.” Artisan Amy Turner Handweaving has been a consistent crafter in attendance. “It’s a nice local festival with widespread appeal. People are upbeat and the music adds to the energy of the weekend,” said Turner, who will be showcasing handwoven pieces.

For the harvest lovers, make sure you check out the Scarecrow Junction on Sunday at the Pine Street parking lot. You’ll be able to construct your very own straw scarecrow, so bring old clothes and props to deck out your creation. Be sure to carve out time in your festival schedule to peruse the festival food court, children’s craft area and the Univest Bike Race which starts at Main and Court Streets at 11am on Sunday.

“The Thompson Organization has been a sponsor of the Doylestown Arts Festival for 17 years,” said Laura Thompson Barnes, Vice President of The Thompson Organization. “Paula Frame, from The David Frame Shop, was one of the early organizers of the event. Almost two decades ago she described the festival to me but explained that it was going to be discontinued due to lack of funding. The festival sounded like a perfect event for our special Doylestown community so I agreed to offer the sponsorship support from our dealerships.”

The Festival has a rich history of commissioning works and collaborating with artists in the community. Arts Festival Chairman Michael J. Woods states, “As a group of volunteers for the DBCA, it’s so satisfying to see our committee’s efforts come to life. It’s been our goal to continually create a premier event for the artisans, local businesses and the entire community.” He continues, “I’m so proud of what has been accomplished in past years and look forward to celebrating our 20th anniversary next year.”

It takes a staff of community residents and business owners who volunteer their time and energy to organize and execute the event for the betterment of Doylestown. The DBCA is exceedingly proud of the dedication volunteers from across the county who return year after year–some since the very beginning, to participate in putting on this award-winning event to preserve the quaint character of Doylestown.

“It has been so rewarding to see the event grow year after year,” said Woods. “It started as a one day event, and then grew into two. Participation of vendors and the attendance seems to grow every year. It is a wonderful family event–with tons of kids and dogs walking the streets, enjoying the variety of entertainers and shopping both in our local stores as well as with the arts festival crafters.”

This year’s festival marks the turn of technology with an exciting incorporation of Microsoft Tags. With a Microsoft Tag, the possibilities are endless. “The Doylestown Arts Festival will be an excellent opportunity to showcase a new Microsoft Technology called ‘Microsoft Tag’ in conjunction with The Catalyze Group’s launch of our new product called ‘Venue Connect,’” said Michael Rubella, owner of The Catalyze Group (www.catalyzegroup.com).

Expect to see colorful Microsoft Tag bar codes on storefront windows and at festival booths in Doylestown, where businesses will be engaging customers by linking them to the digital world in an innovative new way. Artisans will benefit since their tags will link to a display of their individual information including description of their offerings, email and website link. Festival attendees will also benefit with a mobile resource to their favorite artisans.

The entire Doylestown Borough is filled with activity throughout the weekend from 10am to 5pm. Admission to the Doylestown Arts Festival is free, with free parking available at the Bucks County Courthouse lot.

For more information, visit www.doylestownartsfestival.com or call (215) 340-9988.