A tradition that started a decade ago, the DeLand Fall Festival
of the Arts was presented on November 23-24, 2002, from 10:00 am to
5:00 pm, in downtown Deland, off of Woodland Boulevard. Hosting over
200 artists from around the country, virtually every art medium was
represented, including photography, oil and acrylic paintings, jewelry,
clay and glass. The event also featured continuous live entertainment,
food, and an interactive "Hands-on Art" for children. This
10th annual celebration of the arts offered free admission to the
public.
Dave Doris, president of the festival's organization, was quoted
in the Daytona Beach News-Journal by correspondent Morris Sullivan
saying, "We're proud we've reached that landmark, 10th annual
event...the whole community pulls together and makes this a special
event."
One of the festival's founders, Harry Messersmith, was the
featured artist this year. Serving as the previous executive director
of the DeLand Museum of Art, the featured sculpture, See's,
duplicate is appropriately located at the entrance of the museum.
His father, Fred Messersmith, also served the city of DeLand as the
Chair of Stetson University's Art Department for 30 years.
Awards to distinguished artists ranged from Best of Show to
Honorable Mention. A total of $25,000 was offered in prize money distributed
to each award. Doris said in the News-Journal that offering
$25,000 in prize money "helps bring in high quality artists."
The DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts also fostered artistic recognition
with local youth. The Artisan Inn held the Youth Art Exhibition, in
conjunction with downtown merchant sponsors, which featured young
artists from 37 schools throughout Volusia County.
Various entertainers performed in shifts throughout Saturday and
Sunday, ranging from bluegrass to alternative rock musicians. The
majority of these musicians have direct ties to the city of DeLand.
The two stages for entertainment included the main stage off of Rich
Street and the acoustic stage in Pioneer Park.
For more information, please refer to www.delandfallfestival.com
, courtesy of the web site sponsors, Stetson University and Quality
Brands, Inc.
