NOTE: We are disappointed to announce the difficult decision to postpone the April 2-4, 2021 Deep Ellum Arts Festival until September 10-12, 2021. While we had hoped to be able to hold the April Festival and had developed extensive plans to be in compliance with CDC recommendations, it was deemed still too soon to override public health policy to allow us to open safely. We appreciate everyone’s continued support during these uncertain times and look forward to seeing everybody in September and hopefully under more normal conditions.

HISTORY OF DEEP ELLUM ARTS FESTIVAL

The Deep Ellum Arts Festival first debuted in 1994 as a one-block street party and has since become one of the largest visual and performing Arts Festivals in the region achieving international recognition for presenting the finest in original performing and visual artists. The festival now consists of over 100 original bands and singer-songwriters performing on 5 stages, 200-juried visual artists displaying and selling their one of a kind works, spontaneous street performances, over 30 restaurants serving scrumptious trendy and classic foods & beverages, and great people-watching covering six city blocks and adjacent spaces in the heart of the Deep Ellum Entertainment district. The festival has always been free to attend due to sponsorship underwriting and in-kind support, various grants, exhibitor booth fees, and keeping a percentage of all food and beverage sales generated at the festival.

The first event was produced with the cooperation of the newly formed Deep Ellum Association headed up by Don Blanton, a major Deep Ellum property owner and visionary, and Stephen Millard and his company Main Events International (MEI) also known as “The Celebration Engineers®”. Stephen Millard was the original producer of the award-winning MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival from 1986-1994. During MEI’s tenure, Main St. became nationally recognized as one of the Top 10 Events of its kind in the country. Millard also founded many of the most acclaimed events in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, including the Bedford Blues Festival, The Dallas Festival of Art & Jazz, Irving Texas July 4th Music and Fireworks Festival, Gran Fiesta de Fort Worth, Texas Hydrofest, Generation eXpo Music Festival and numerous other major concerts and special events.

MEI’s founder Stephen Millard’s expertise in managing multi-faceted organizations and special events was honed through a previous fifteen-year career of executive and general management experience with large world-class hotels and resorts, operated by both the Hilton and Hyatt Hotels Corporations.

ADMISSION TO THE FESTIVAL IS FREE!

Friday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm | Saturday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm | Sunday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm

This is an “adult-oriented” visual and performing arts festival; while supervised young children and teenagers are welcome during the day, there are no specifically planned activities for them.

Seven blocks of Main Street in the Dallas entertainment district of Deep Ellum, 2900-3700 Main Street, Dallas TX 75226, will be transformed into one enormous street festival. Featuring 200 top-notch decorative and visual artists, 100 original bands and singer/songwriters performing from four different stages and two additional performance areas, The Artists in Motion Walk, and enticing foods and drinks.

Festival attendees can stroll through displays of cutting-edge decorative arts and admire, commission, and purchase the works of sculptors, muralists, jewelers, painters, leather and wood crafters, as well as other specialized fine artists, some of whom will be creating original pieces on the spot.

ART

Purchase or commission the art of sculptors, muralists, jewelers, painters, and fine artists who will have their distinctive one-of-a-kind works on display, some of whom will be creating pieces on the spot.

MUSIC

Keeping pace with the newest sounds of the music industry reflecting Deep Ellum’s exploding music scene with all four stages and two performance areas rocking with an eclectic mix of genres.

TASTE

Festive Mexican, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Asian, American, specialty desserts, and other festival favorites, plus beer, wine, and sodas. In support of festival vendors, no coolers, please!

APPLICATIONS

PERFORMING ARTIST

VISUAL ARTIST

SPONSOR

FOOD CONCESSIONAIRE

COMMERCIAL EXHIBITOR

EVENT VOLUNTEERS

BUSKER/STREET PERFORMER APPLICATION

ARTISTS IN MOTION