42nd Annual Art & Wine Festival Draws Thousands

The Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival was another rousing success, with thousands flocking to Santa Clara's Central Park for food and fun.

Santa Clara’s Central Park was once again teeming with people as thousands turned out for another successful Art & Wine Festival. For the 42nd year, the community-driven event welcomed artists, food vendors and families to Santa Clara for a weekend of music, entertainment and fun.

Mary Evelyn Lawrence is the founder of Evolve with Mary, a science-based fire artist who uses alcohol ink to burn abstract art into glass, acrylic, resin and other materials.

“My goal is to challenge the relationship between science and art. I use chemical reaction to create original fine and functional art,” said Lawrence.

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While it was her first time hosting a booth at the Art & Wine Festival, she says it won’t be her last.

“I loved the people and the vibe of the event. I participate in 30+ art festival and shows yearly and this festival had the kindest people, the staff was helpful and accommodating, all the vendors felt appreciated and cared for,” said Lawrence. “It was a joy to participate in the event and I’m excited about returning next year. The City of Santa Clara really makes the artist and vendors feel valued which isn’t usually the case at these events.”

The annual festival isn’t just a chance for artists to showcase their wares but also an opportunity to raise money for important community organizations. The Sister Cities Association served up a charcuterie of fruit, cheese and large pretzel sticks, while the local Boy Scouts served up a pancake breakfast.

In the Kids Kingdom, there weren’t just games for the little ones, but young entrepreneurs set up booths of their own. From local authors like Aarna Agrawal to local jewelry makers like Alia Shah of “The Jewelry Biz” and Nora Liem of “Nora and Raina’s Bits & Baubles.”