Delray Beach is one of Florida’s most gorgeous cities. Located on the state’s southeast coast, a short drive from West Palm Beach and Boca Raton, Delray Beach is a city of about 70,000. It has gorgeous beaches with top-notch restaurants and great fishing and boating options. It also has a great downtown district with boutique shops and artisan products. The appeal to this city stretches far beyond just its ocean access.
One of the driving appeals to this city is its thriving art scene. Delray Beach has a top-notch art-oriented culture, with various talented local artists and prominent museums and galleries displaying works from around the world. One event that is a major showcase of the Delray Beach art scene is right around the corner, and it is the Downtown Delray Beach Festival of the Arts.
The 2022 Downtown Delray Beach Festival of the Arts will be the 33rd iteration of this show. It will be taking place on January 15th and 16th along East Atlantic Avenue in Downtown Delray, and admission is free.
The Festival of the Arts is consistently rated amongst the best art festivals in the state. It is an exciting competition-style art event that will showcase hundreds of up-and-coming artistic stars. The festival will feature the works of many buzzy contemporary artists in a juried display. The works shown will be hand-crafted artwork like glass sculptures, jewelry, fiber art, and more traditional works like paintings and photography. There are no limits on the type of art on display.
The works will all be shown on a one-mile outdoor gallery along Atlantic Avenue. This event attracts big crowds from around the state as the opportunity to see the best works of some of the most talented artists in the state is certainly an enticing one. There will also be food vendors and more, giving this event a festive, fun vibe that is great for art lovers, families, or anyone who wants an excuse to explore the Delray Beach streets.
Those who attend this event will be able to purchase crafts or pieces from many of the artists who display at the festival, so keep your eye out for an artist whose work you particularly admire. This event is sure to be one that all attendees enjoy, so make sure you don’t miss out on this great showcase of the Delray Beach arts scene.
While the Downtown Delray Beach Arts Festival is a major event for the city, Delray Beach has some other great art options available on a more permanent basis. Here are three other great art museums and areas to check out in Delray Beach.
Pineapple Grove Arts District
The Pineapple Grove Arts District is a quaint area just off Atlantic Avenue that is immediately recognizable from the brightly colored buildings. It is an area that is essentially the arts center of Delray Beach, lined with art galleries, public artwork, and artists’ alley. It also has shops and bistros, making it a very trendy area of the town. It has several different murals and sculptures and is bursting with bright colors. The Pineapple Grove Arts District is a great place to spend a weekend afternoon, and the local galleries show some high-quality work.
Cornell Art Museum
The Cornell Art Museum is a great museum open from Thursday to Sunday every week. The Cornell Art Museum is located in a restored building that was the site of Delray Elementary School, which was built in 1913. The gallery displays intriguing artwork from some of the best local, national, and international artists in this historic spot. There are constantly new shows and displays in the gallery, and with tickets costing an affordable $15, it is well worth your time.
Morikami Museum
The Morikami Museum is a museum and gardens dedicated to displaying and preserving works of Japanese culture. The building is modeled after a Japanese villa and has multiple exhibition rooms centered around an open-air courtyard. The works on display include over 7,000 Japanese pieces of art and artifacts, with some incredibly historical objects. There is also a 16-acre garden that surrounds the museum. It is a tranquil area that is perfectly manicured, featuring an incredible bonsai collection and artificial lakes. It is an area very popular for meditative hikes.
