artfest Last year's Chalk It Up event will be included in the events that will take place at this year's Artfest.[/caption]

The first Plano Artfest will be held Sept. 17 at the McCall Plaza, 998 E. 15th St., and its adjoining parking lot. The free event includes food trucks, an artist village, local performances, an apprentice studio, kids crafts, a graffiti exhibit and the return of Chalk-It-Up, last year’s chalk art competition.

A week of community art programming, including gallery exhibits, art panel discussions, theatrical performances along with film screenings and concerts, will lead up to the event.

The first Plano Artfest will be held at McCall Plaza on Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The first Plano Artfest will be held at McCall Plaza on Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.[/caption]

“We believe Plano has been waiting and is ready for an event that is all about the arts,” said Alex Hargis, executive director of the Historic Downtown Plano Association, in a news release. “Our city has an entire community of artists looking for someone to give them a home and an opportunity to show their work. We want to make the Historic Downtown Arts District that place for creative incubation and use Artfest to bring all local artists together.”

Saturday’s event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with performances by the Plano Metropolitan Ballet, Men of Note, the Plano Dance Theatre, Chamberlain Performing Arts, Plano Children’s Theatre, and other local groups. All performances are put on by volunteers, said Michelle Hawkins, administrator of arts, culture and heritage for the city of Plano.

“It’s really a celebration of the arts,” she said. “I think there is a huge movement in the way of bringing arts to more of the forefront in Plano… I think the community’s just craving it right now and so let’s do it, let’s show what art we have here.”

Plans for next year’s Artfest are already in the works along with a budget proposal submitted to the city. HDPA and the city want Artfest to become one of the larger festivals in downtown, Hawkins said. 

Although the event will shut down McCall Plaza’s parking lot, Hawkins said guest will still have DART access to the event and other parking lots nearby. The city will be sharing parking locations and information closer to the event, she added.

For a complete schedule of the day’s events, visit www.planoartfest.com.