One of the attractions of the Nation’s Capital is the opportunity to enjoy the arts at internationally-recognized museums – the Smithsonian Institution, the Phillips Collection, the Children’s Museum, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and many others. Add the many live concert and performance venues and the unique and significant architecture of the various monuments (one of my favorites is the Navy and Marine Memorial along the George Washington Parkway in Lady Bird Johnson Park; the sculpted seagulls above the waves honor sailors and soldiers who lost their lives at sea) dotting the landscape and you have a guidebook that can take years to explore.     

For centuries, art was restricted to the wealthy and connected to the patrons who supported artists-in-residence at their palaces. Many of those magnificent creations have been preserved and now reside in museums open to all, usually for a fee, and in faraway places. Closer to home, this Saturday, October 17, offers an opportunity to discover what kinds of art appeal to you, watch local artists bring their visions to reality, visit with the artists, and enjoy live entertainment – for free! You’ll also be able to purchase art directly from the local artist-creator.

The Second Annual Mason District Art Festival will be held in the parking lot of the ACCA Child Development Center at 7200 Columbia Pike, adjacent to the Eileen Garnett Civic Space in downtown Annandale from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The festival is organized and conducted by community volunteers, features more than 40 local artists, is free to the public, and will be held rain or shine. Paintings, jewelry-making, ceramics and pottery, and more will be featured at individual stations, along with a performance stage for music, dance, comedy, and short scenes, sponsored by the School of Rock/Springfield and the Lake Barcroft Art League. Parking for the festival is available at the United Baptist Church at 7100 Columbia Pike and on nearby streets. The goal of the Mason District Art Festival is to connect local artists with each other, promote the sale of their works in the community, and make art accessible to all.  

You’ll be able to create your own art, too, including helping with a creative reuse mosaic led by Ursula Seckel, making small art for little free art galleries by the Community Studio, and painting a mural with muralist John Hartt. I’ll have a special station for adults and children to create painted quilt squares to be turned into a community quilt for display at next year’s Art Festival. New this year is an art materials exchange station. Artists and visitors can bring unused art materials to the exchange table and swap them for items they might want or need for their own creations. This free activity is a great way to recycle materials for other artists and would-be artists to use.  

Art, like politics, has the power to inspire, to unite, to divide, to celebrate, to connect, to discover, to feed the soul, and to stimulate discussion and debate. The Mason District Art Festival promises to do all of that, and it’s free and open for the whole family. See you on Saturday!