After their COVID-19 hiatus, two of Richardson's most beloved festivals are back and better than ever this month: Cottonwood Art Festival (May 7-8) and Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival (May 20-22).
Cottonwood Art Festival
What: See the juried works of 200 global artists, listen to live music, indulge in irresistible food, drink craft beer, and watch live painting demonstrations — there’s even an area for the kiddos.
Where: The event is held at Cottonwood Park, located at 1321 W. Belt Line Rd.
When: Hours for the 2022 spring festival are Saturday, May 7, 10 am-7 pm and Sunday, May 8, 10 am-5 pm.
How much: Admission and parking are both free, with shuttles running continuously between the park and Richardson High School football stadium lot.
The history: Celebrating 53 years, the semi-annual Cottonwood Art Festival is a juried show ranked among the top 10 fine art shows in the country. Local artists staged the first festival at the scenic Cottonwood Park in 1969. Now, the festival has designed outreach programs as innovative tools to mentor students, designed to broaden the interest in visual arts beyond the art festival and bring the art world into classrooms.
More info: CottonwoodArtFestival.com
Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival
What: 100-plus performers including Toadies, Collective Soul, Neon Trees, American Authors, Johnathan Tyler & The Northern Lights, The Wailers, and more perform on five different stages. Enjoy WF! Kids activities, Performance Row, an art guitar auction, WF! Marketplace vendors, and the songwriter competition as well.
Where: Galatyn Park Urban Center, located at Galatyn Parkway and US 75.
When: Friday, May 20, 6 pm-midnight; Saturday, May 21, 11 am-midnight; Sunday, May 22, 11 am-6 pm How much: Friday and Saturday are $35, Sunday is $20, and kids 12 and under are free. A three-day pass is $75.
The history: Wildflower! began as a small community gathering in 1993 and has since become one of the most popular cultural events in North Texas, with tens of thousands of fans cheering on their favorite artists.
More info: WildflowerFestival.com
