MOUNT DORA, Fla. - ColoradoDesk -- The annual Mount Dora Arts Festival will fill the streets of Mount Dora, FL's historic downtown shopping district once again. Mount Dora is known for being a walkable town with streets lined with small boutiques and eclectic restaurants.

This year, the event will feature 289 juried Artists from across the nation that were selected to show and compete for $20,000 in cash prizes in 2D, 3D and Best in Show categories. The festival features two sections – Juried Fine Arts which is judged and eligible for prize money and a small Emerging Artist/Craft Artisan area near the food court, not eligible for awards.  Artwork in both sections must be original and are available for sale.

MDCA's Executive Director and festival coordinator Janet Gamache says, "This event is consistently ranked as a top Fine Arts Festival and it's very competitive to be selected. Everyone, including me, is excited to see what the artists will bring this year."

Gamache says "This is your opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind, world class art directly from an artist. You can talk to them about each piece, find out about the process of creation, and inspiration behind each one. It's an amazing experience to go home with an original."

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Festival food, beer, wine, and cocktails will be available at kiosks though out the festival and restaurants will be open for sit down dining. Live entertainers will perform on the stage in Donnelly Park all weekend.

Some tips to navigate: Avoid the downtown traffic and take the free round-trip shuttle located at 900 Lincoln Ave Mount Dora, FL. Kiwanis will be collecting a fee to park but it's worth the time you'll save trying to find a parking space.

Although most artists take credit cards, Gamache advises to bring plenty of cash. "Sometimes there are so many people on their phones that the internet signal locks up. The artists may have an issue using their pay apps." ATM machines will be available on site.

Pets are allowed but discouraged since the unusual crowds can make your dog and some people uncomfortable. Please leave them at home if possible.

The Mount Dora Arts Festival is presented by G3 Development and Mount Dora Center for the Arts, a 501(c) 3 Nonprofit organization. Proceeds from the event support MDCA's annual art programming. The festival runs Sat Feb 3 from 9am-5pm and Sun Feb 4 from 9am-4pm and is FREE to attend. Get more info at www.MountDoraArt.org or call 352-383-0880.