The Association for Visual Arts announces that the 4 Bridges Arts Festival is returning to a live format April 17 and 18. A preview party for sponsors, patrons, and paying guests will take place on Friday, April 16.
4 Bridges Arts Festival had to postpone the festival in spring 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic caused nationwide shut-downs, and the festival moved to a virtual platform last fall as COVID-19 cases continued to rise. AVA is excited to bring the festival back to a live format, especially for the livelihoods of the participating artists, many of whom make their livings of shows like this, and have not been able to participate in a live show in over a year.
The 2021 4 Bridges Arts Festival is currently scheduled to take place April 17 and 18. Gates will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. both days, and admission is $5 for adults and free for children under 18. Everyone is encouraged to come enjoy browsing and shopping with the artists, who create beautiful work in a variety of media and price ranges – there’s something for everyone, said officials.
AVA will be taking plenty of precautions and making a few changes to the look and layout of the festival to ensure public safety. The number of participating artists has been reduced from 145 to 117, which allows for wider aisles throughout the First Horizon Pavilion. Only a few hundred attendees will be allowed into the pavilion at one time to allow safe social distancing throughout the space. And, no food or drink will be allowed inside the pavilion, as masks must be worn at all times in that space. Food and beverage vendors will still be on-site, however, and plenty of socially distanced seating will be provided in front of the Pavilion so that guests may enjoy a meal, a snack, or a drink, as well as the music from the many local musicians who will perform on stage throughout the weekend.
This year marks the 21st year of the festival, which was recently voted the #12 best fine arts festival in the country in Sunshine Artist Magazine’s annual 200 Best Festival listings, its highest rank ever. Festival Director Sarah Moore said, “We are so grateful to the Chattanooga community for proving over and over that this city is tops when it comes to supporting local events and supporting the arts. The unwavering generosity and eagerness to buy from these independent artisans each year is why our festival continues to be so successful. We couldn’t be happier to have achieved three milestones this year – 21 years of the festival, a successful virtual festival in fall 2020 in the face of COVID-19, and our highest national ranking ever!”
For more information about 4 Bridges Arts Festival, visit the website, or the main AVA website – AVArts.org – or contact Sarah Moore, 4 Bridges Arts Festival Director, at sarah@avarts.org, or contact the AVA main office at 265-4282.
Follow AVA and 4BAF on Facebook and Instagram:
AVA: facebook.com/avarts | @ava_associationforvisualarts
4BAF: facebook.com/4bridgesartsfestival | @4bridgesartsfestival