Shadyside Art Festival

For 21 years now, Shadyside has been home to the annual “Art Festival on Walnut Street”, a celebration of local artists, crafters, and much more. On Saturday, August 29th from 10am to 7pm and Sunday, August 30th, from 10am to 5pm, you can experience one of the top art shows in Pennsylvania — free to the public!

Organized by Howard Alan Events and the American Craft Endeavor, the festival of fine art hosts 140 artists, all of whom create their own, hand-made artwork. Now is your chance to speak to them, exploring their inspiration and passions.

After leaving his career as a chiropractor, Howard Alan began working in retail, featuring 40-50 artists and crafters on consignment in his store. To gain more foot traffic, Howard positioned a large, lovable gorilla statue outside of the store, adding some humor with a sign stating that gorilla was running for Mayor. Let’s just say, the current Mayor was not pleased and Howard got into a bit of trouble… But, nothing is without a lesson learned, and from this, Howard realized that he had a real knack for advertising and public relations. Thus, Howard Alan Events was born — a public relations and advertising agency specializing in art show promotions.

Fast forward to today, where Howard runs 40 annual juried art shows and annual craft shows across the country, from Pittsburgh to Aspen. These popular outdoor festivals, like the one in Shadyside this weekend, are considered some of the top art shows in the country. All the more reason to add the The Art Festival on Walnut to your must-see list of summer fun!

A wide array of artwork will be present, from paintings, pottery, and photography to jewelry, woodworking, and sculpture. Franklin West Inc. is an avid supporter of the arts in its many forms, and are delighted that such an event is held so close to many of our apartments. For more information, and to see some of the wondrous art that will be on display, visit the event site here.

We hope to see you there!