Beaux Arts Festival fills campus with art to support Lowe Museum

Beaux Arts Festival featured the work of local artisans throughout Stanford Drive over the weekend. Madelyn Paquette // Contributing Photographer
Beaux Arts Festival featured the work of local artisans throughout Stanford Drive over the weekend. Madelyn Paquette // Contributing Photographer

Campus was transformed into an art lover’s paradise over the weekend. The streets from Eaton to Mahoney-Pearson to Stanford Circle were lined with every kind of art under the sun during the Beaux Arts Festival, Coral Gables’ annual celebration of local art.

The Beaux Arts Festival was first held in 1952, when it was organized by the founding board members of the University of Miami Lowe Art Museum. This festival marked the 66th year the event was held, making the Beaux Arts Festival the oldest juried art festival in the city. The festival is also one of the Lowe Art Museum’s biggest fundraisers.

Although new students might have been confused as they returned from winter break to a campus swarmed with white tents and sightseers, many upperclassmen looked forward to Beaux Arts Festival since last semester.

“Ever since I first went freshman year, I’ve loved Beaux Arts,” said senior philosophy major Josh Myers. “It’s one of my favorite campus events.”

This year’s festival featured more than 220 exhibitors from a wide variety of disciplines. The works included traditional oil paintings, wood carvings, mixed media pieces, abstract sculpture and jewelry. The event even extended inside the Lowe, where student art pieces from local schools were displayed.

“You never think there are so many kinds of artists,” said senior theatre major Kyla Stewart. “Then you come here and you see something that you never thought could be created.”

Even for the less artistically-inclined, there was plenty of entertainment at Beaux Arts. A dedicated kids’ area hosted arts and crafts, live music played at the pavilion and international food vendors sold delicious carnival food. There was also ample opportunity for people- and pet-watching at the packed event.

“Every year is something different,” said Stewart. “It never fails to surprise me.”