There will be a new look to this summer’s 43rd annual edition of the Westport Fine Arts Festival sponsored by the Westport Downtown Merchants Association (WDMA).
Visitors enjoy last year’s Fine Arts Festival in Parker-Harding Plaza along the Saugatuck River. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Lynn U. Miller for WestportNow.com
The festival no longer will extend into the Gorham Island parking lot and will be contained entirely within Parker-Harding Plaza overlooking the Saugatuck River behind Main Street, WDMA officials told the Westport Board of Selectmen today.
The board approved closure of the Parker-Harding parking area from 4 p.m. on Friday, July 15 to 8 p.m.on Sunday, July 17 for the festival.
The change came about because there have been “challenges” involving the public and the artists in recent years, said Steve Desloge, WDMA president.
He said the public complained the layout that extended into the Gorham Island parking area was “too long and spread out,” and the artists complained that many visitors ended up not going to the Gorham Island booths.
About 10 artists had dropped out of the annual event because they could not be sure they would be assigned to the main Parker-Harding area as opposed to Gorham Island, the board was told.
The change will open up about 166 additional parking spaces on Gorham Island for the festival, Desloge said, adding: “I’ve been advocating for this (change) for years.”
He said while he had not checked with every merchant on Main Street, he was sure they would appreciate having more people accessing their stores through Parker-Harding Plaza during the festival.
He also said again this year, the WDMA had obtained a liquor license, allowing sale of beer and wine to guests.
