The Woodlands is a treasure trove of art and culture, especially each spring when Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival is in high gear. This annual event is a proud tradition in The Woodlands, now celebrating its 18th year in 2023. Presented by The Woodlands Arts Council, its success is credited to hundreds of talented creatives, thousands of visiting art lovers, more than 500 volunteers, and a community that embraces this one-of-a-kind celebration.
Artists from near and far converge on Town Green Park to meet and greet fans of the arts, including connoisseurs and collectors, as well as families who enjoy the sights along the Waterway. Mark your calendars for April 14 to 16 and enjoy the festivities! Festival Hours are Friday, April 14 from 1 pm to 5 pm, Saturday, April 15 from 10 am to 6 pm, and Sunday, April 16, 2023, from 10 am to 5 pm.
Food, Fun, and Shopping
The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival is the place to be if you’re looking for décor for your home or office, adding to a special collection, and looking for something unique for upcoming Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. The selection of artwork is amazing, from jewelry to paintings, sculptures, photography, digital art, glass, ceramics, metalworks, fiber, mixed media (2D & 3D), and more!
There is something for everyone — live music, local food, beer, wine, and children's art activities — and so much to do and see at this three-day event. What better time to introduce kids to a wonderland of mediums and artists, and treat yourself to an exploration of creativity and imagination?
What’s New this Year?
For the first time ever, the works of local, regional, and national authors are being featured at Books on the Green in partnership with Village Books, an independent bookstore in The Woodlands! Meet the authors, juried by a committee of published authors and librarians, who are participating in book signings, book readings, activities, and games. There’s an exciting opportunity for the next generation of wordsmiths to apply in a writing scholarship competition as well!
The Art Dash
The highly anticipated Art Dash Party, produced by The Woodlands Arts Council and presented by The Woodlands Compounding Pharmacy, is slated from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm on April 14 at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott. Attendees mix, mingle, and enjoy light bites and cocktails with VIP artists, and then participate in a 60-second “dash” for artwork to take home.
“Attending the Art Dash Party is an exciting way to get to know the artists and at the same time support our student art scholarship program,” says Jenny Carattini-Wright, Executive Director of The Woodlands Arts Council.
Meet the Featured Artist 2023
Featured Artist Cathra-Anne Barker was born in Harlingen, lived in Dallas, and moved out of the state when she was ten years old. “I drew an elephant as a toddler and have been an artist ever since. I was recognized and encouraged by my teachers, and my education in those early years also set me up for a lifetime of literacy,” she says.
There’s a backstory behind her unusual name. Her mother loved the novel Wuthering Heights and the heroine Catherine, nicknamed Cathy. Her father came up with Cathra-Anne. “It was the only original thing that he, as an accountant, had ever done,” says Barker.
She and her husband Richard Meyer owned a retail studio in San Diego, California for 24 years, and then moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they are both master potters and sell exquisite ceramics from their website.
“Since most of my artwork is sold online, I enjoy traveling to The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival every year and meeting buyers in person,” says Barker. This will be her 17th appearance, and she notes that face-to-face interaction and enthusiastic art lovers are what bring her back.
She created two auction pieces, a paired jar and vase motif titled “Turtle Pond” for the Art Dash, which she calls a blast of a party!
Get Your Tickets!
Visit The Woodlands Arts Council to order day tickets, a weekend pass, and VIP weekend tickets at thewoodlandsartscouncil.org/p/buytickets.
Art Dash tickets can be purchased at thewoodlandsartscouncil.org/events/2023/2023-art-dash-party
“Since most of my artwork is sold online, I enjoy traveling to The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival every year and meeting buyers in person.” – Cathra-Anne Barker, Featured Artist