BY REBECCA BENNETT — It’s back and almost ready to roll for year eight.  The Annual Downtown Hyattsville Arts Festival is scheduled for Sept. 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the corner of Baltimore Avenue and Jefferson Street in the Shoppes at Arts District.  The festival is organized by the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation.

At the heart of the festival are more 70 local artists from Prince George’s County and the Washington, D.C. area, including crafters, painters, photographers, sculptures, jewelers, printers, etc.  But, the festival is so much more.  According to organizers, six performances will take place on two stages, including blues musician Anthony “Swamp Dog” Clark, string quartet Invoke and what their website says is ” jazz-infused, Americana-marinated, alt-pop band” Brûlée.

For a full schedule of performances and list of vendors, visit http://hyattsvilleartsfestival.com/

According to its website, festival organizers have a full day of arts and craft activities planned, including children’s art activities with Art Works, a hula hooping contest with Joe’s Movement Emporium, t-shirt sharpie tie dye with Arts On A Roll, more arts activities and relief printmaking (2 to 4 p.m.) with Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center, face painting with S.W.A.G Entertainment and Franklin’s Brewery will have their own craft beer for sale made right here in Hyattsville.  Organizers said there will also be an iconographic installation project on-site at the festival.


The Hyattsville CDC put together a list of other things to do in the Arts District while visiting the arts festival.  When you’ve had enough shopping, crafting, hula hooping and listening to music, festival visitors are encouraged to visit the Historic Hyattsville Armory and the Lustine Center, to check out the Battle of Bladensburg murals in the parking lot near Franklin’s from the 2014 Bursting in Air, or to pose by the Hyattsville Horns at the Justice Center.

Getting to the festival is easy just off of Baltimore Avenue in downtown Hyattsville, but visitors will need to park in one of the city’s many public lots.  According to festival organizers, some of the city parking lots will be free the day of the festival.  Festival visitors will need to make sure to obey all parking signs, as towing is strictly enforced in the residential and commercials spaces around the Shoppes at Arts District.  New Uber users can use a free coupon with promo code “HvilleArts” to get to the festival, organizers said.