A delectable cuisine, miles of art exhibits, and great entertainment – this past weekend, the Washington Mutual Coconut Grove Arts Festival enveloped the bustling streets of the Grove transforming the quaint village with its expansive stretches of white tents boasting wide selections of food, art, and music.
The Coconut Grove Arts Festival is among the nation’s best in outdoor fine arts festivals. Celebrating its 41st anniversary this year, 330 artists exhibited their work to over three-quarters of a million people.
The myriad array of art at the festival was festively welcomed by all, as thousands of visitors paraded the streets and crowded the artists’ tents in order to view the work. The fine art being showcased included paintings of watercolor and oil, jewelry and metalwork, sculptures, glass, sketches, digital art, and photography, craftwork and much more.
One was easily able to get lost in the moment, reveling in the splendor of Miami’s blue skies this past weekend, along with just being present at one of South Florida’s notable cultural events. The festival, as mentioned, attracted over three-quarters of a million people spanning from art connoisseurs, aficionados and patrons to novice collectors – but above all, art enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in the culture that the festival provided.
The talent of the artistes was commendable, along with the innovative styles that many used. However, no two paintings were alike. The artists present at the festival made their way from different parts of the U.S. and even the world to display their creative and novel pieces. The 41st annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival was truly a success, not dictated by the approximate four million dollars in artwork sold, but by the accomplishment of bringing to Miami an aura of refinement, flair, and artistic culture.
Christie Asencio can be contacted at c.asencio@umiami.edu