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The Art Colony Association, Inc.’s Bayou City Art Festival returns to downtown Houston from Saturday, October 14 to Sunday, October 15, 2023. Taking over Sam Houston Park and Allen Parkway, the outdoor gallery and interactive art event promises more art, entertainment, and food than ever.

The Chef’s Table is back to celebrate the culinary arts. Some of Houston’s top chefs will be on hand to impress and tantalize taste buds with demonstrations of their signature dishes. Samples will be passed for participants to enjoy. Please see below for the Chef’s Table demonstration schedule.

This year’s artist spotlight will be on Michelle McDowell Smith, a painter and mixed media collage artist from Roanoke, Virginia. Her current body of work, Of Land and Sky – Whimsical and Free, has a soft surreal quality reminiscent of a storybook. The works of 250 other artists from across the United States will also be on display. As one of the top art festivals in the country, Bayou City Art Festival provides patrons with the means to meet artists, converse with them, and experience original works. Patrons will also have the opportunity to purchase artwork from 19 disciplines, including paintings, prints, jewelry, sculptures, and much more.

Works by the Collegiate Art Collective, composed of four Houston-area college art students, will round out the art portion of the festival. The colleges being represented are University of Houston, Houston Community College, and Rice University.

Adding to the festivities will be nonstop live entertainment at the Stella Artois Main Stage and at the KPRC 2 Hitch Stage. Foodies will enjoy, not only the Chef’s Table, but also the onsite food trucks providing tasty treats to satisfy everyone’s cravings. The Active Imagination Zone, designed for all ages, will feature oversized bubbles to play with, a visit with caricature artist Bonnie Blue, and creating art with the festival’s nonprofit partners. For those who want to take time out and enjoy the Houston skyline, the festival’s beer garden and wine garden provide the perfect spots. A must-do is a visit to Barbie Land, which will feature a giant pink shoe and sparkly pink purse, life-size Barbie boxes, a pink convertible, art activities, and dress-up stations. Get your cameras ready!

For the ultimate art lover, Bayou City Art Festival will offer a limited availability VIP Hospitality Lounge presented by Frost Bank. It will include complimentary light bites, beer, wine, and other refreshments. The relaxing setting under a canopy of trees will feature roaming musicians, artistic décor, a phone-charging station, and other amenities. Access to the VIP area will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. VIP parking will also be available.

Online adult tickets are available at www.bayoucityartfestival.com for $20. Children under the age of 12 are free thanks to the Kids Free Program sponsored by Champion Energy Services. VIP tickets are $75. Online pre-purchased tickets are required to enter the festival. Physical tickets will not be sold at the gate, and tickets can only be purchased online. 

Chef’s Table Demonstration Schedule

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Saturday, October 14, 2023

12 p.m. : Georgia James Chef Greg Peters

1:30 p.m. : George’s Bistro & Bar Chef Fernando Huerta

3 p.m. : Musaafer Chef Mayank Istwal

4:30 p.m. : Birria Los Primos Chef Oscar Garcia  

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Sunday, October 15, 2023

12 p.m. : Three Keys Coffee Chef Eric Tobar

1:30 p.m. : Cotton Culinary Chef Wade Schindler

3 p.m. : MaKiin Chef Aphassorn "Bell" Predawan

4:30 p.m. : Wolfgang Puck Catering Chef Larry de la Flor

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A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Bayou City Art Festival’s nonprofit partners, including ARTreach; Fresh Arts; Pink Bows Foundation; Second Servings of Houston; The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and The Women’s Fund for Health Education and Resiliency.

About Bayou City Art Festival

Since the founding of the Westheimer Art Festival, now known as Bayou City Art Festival, the Art Colony Association, Inc. has raised over $3.6 million for local nonprofit programs from the proceeds of its festivals. Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park in the spring and Bayou City Art Festival Downtown in the fall have provided a venue for more than 20,000 artists to showcase their work to thousands of art lovers from around the world. The festivals are funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, corporate sponsorships, private contributions, in-kind support, and volunteer assistance.

Volunteer and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, please visit www.artcolonyassociation.org.