Art Festival Kicks Off Summer Season In Barrington

This weekend marks the unofficial start of the summer season in Barrington, and families can expect plenty of outdoor fun at the Barrington Art Festival.

About 140 talented artists from around the country and around the world have been hand selected to sell their artwork at the festival, which kicks off at 10 a.m.  May 28.

“There is incredible fine art at a variety of price points,” art festival promoter Leslie Schreiber said. “You can find something for $25 to $2,000 and up.”

The festival isn't limited to adult artists. Children ages 6 through 18 will be showcasing their work at the event as well.

"It's a tremendous opportunity for these young artists. It shows them what life as a professional artist looks like," Schreiber said. 

If purchasing art isn’t what you are looking for, the festival also provides a variety of kid and adult-friendly activities.

“There’s a paint wall, which is exactly what it sounds like. Kids get their paint brushes and paint cans and they can paint murals,” Schreiber said. “There’s also going to be food at the festival. Anything from lemonade to full meals…there’s also live music.”

The Barrington Art Festival started in 2010. The event was such a success last year that event coordinator Amdur Productions decided to bring it back for another year.

“We’re excited to be back for a second year,” Schreiber said. “The blessing of this is that it’s free and open to the public. Even if you don’t want to buy art, it’s just a wonderful day to have with your family. You get live music, you get fun, you get food, you get activities.”

Barrington Art Festival will kick off Saturday, May 28 at 10 a.m. with a ribbon cutting at Cook and Station streets. The event runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.