25,000 expected for Durham Art Council’s CenterFest this weekend | Raleigh News & Observer

The Durham Arts Council presents the 39th Annual CenterFest Arts Festival this weekend, featuring 140 juried fine artists and craftsmen from 17 states.

This year’s event features continuous music and entertainment on six stages from 72 performing groups; lively Kids Zone art activities; locally sourced foods and fun festival foods; a showcase of over 40 non-profits, government services departments, community and creative organizations; and the CenterFest Food and Beer Garden.

CenterFest is North Carolina’s longest-running juried outdoor arts festival. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, plus a Saturday evening after-party 6-9 p.m. and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

CenterFest remains in its historic location in central downtown Durham on an expanded site including Main, Chapel Hill, Morris, Market, Corcoran and Parrish streets in the Five Points and CCB Plaza areas. Admission is a $5 suggested donation at the gate to support the festival and the arts programs and services of Durham Arts Council. Children 12 and under are free.

This year’s Merit Award Judges will view the work of artists in basket-weaving, clay, drawing, fiber, glass, leatherworking, painting, photography, printmaking, wood, jewelry, mixed media and sculpture. This year’s judges are Kim Curry-Evans, public art coordinator at the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Kelly Flanders McChesney, owner of Flanders Gallery in Raleigh, and Kristine Styles, professor of art history in Duke University’s Department of Art, Art History, and Visual Studies . The merit judges will select the winning artists and award cash prizes totaling $2,500 to Best In Show, First Place, Second and Third Place winning artists.

Festivalgoers are invited to pick their favorite CenterFest Visual Artist for a chance to win prizes in the CenterFest2013 Citizens Choice Award contest. Voting/entry forms will be available at all CenterFest information booths and at CenterFest visual artist booths. The Citizens Choice Award will be presented to the winning artist at 4 p.m. Sunday at the festival.