It didn’t take long for a Deep Ellum arts and music festival to be back in business. The Deep Ellum Community Arts Fair plans a Memorial Day weekend return with a more local and regional emphasis.
In early September, Stephen Millard, who founded and produced the festival nearly three decades ago, announced that the event would not return in 2023. Millard said economic conditions, security concerns and the cost of producing a free-to-attend festival were factors.
But just in time for what’s been dubbed the neighborhood’s 150th anniversary, a new order has stepped forward.
The new Deep Ellum Community Arts Fair will run May 27-29 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The weekend will include exhibits, concerts and local food choices — all showcasing Deep Ellum, organizers said.
Breonny Lee, president of the Deep Ellum Community Association, is among those behind the rebirth, which started right after Millard’s announcement. She said the new festival will be a community-focused art fair, prioritizing Deep Ellum artists first, then Dallas, North Texas and regional artists.
“Most notably, we are restricting this event to local and regional artists. We’re not accepting national or international artists to participate,” Lee said. “There was a feeling in the arts community in D-FW that they weren’t welcome, which wasn’t true. But it definitely was an image problem we struggled with.”
The restrictions allow for a more Dallas-area flavor, said Hondo Meredith, who is with the event’s outreach committee.
“There was so much great art in Dallas that wasn’t able to be showcased just due to space restrictions in the old event,” Meredith said. “Now, we can actually reach out to everybody in Dallas who deserves to be in this thing the whole time.”
Sponsors’ and artists’ applications are still being accepted. Sponsors are needed for the main stages and also for some of the logistical expenses, Meredith said. The artists’ application deadline is April 3. Jury-selected artists will be notified of acceptance by April 10.
Another plus for festivalgoers: location. The festival’s new layout is north-south on Crowdus Street between Indiana and Canton streets. That means only a couple of businesses will have their storefronts blocked, a difference from previous festivals, said Meredith.
Elm and Main streets will be open only for pedestrians and emergency traffic.
The Deep Ellum Foundation will provide 24-hour security. Recently, the area has seen a spate of violent crime, with many of the incidents occurring at night.
The fair’s closing time is also earlier , another way organizers are addressing security, Lee said.
“We’re working with the [Dallas police department] and with the Deep Ellum Foundation to have a robust security presence,” Lee said. “In all of the years of the arts festival, there never has been an incident directly in or adjacent to the art festival.
“And generally speaking, it brings out good vibes. We hope to continue that part of the legacy for sure.”
Details: May 27-29 at Deep Ellum, Crowdus Street between Indiana and Canton streets. Free. deepellumfair.com.
