DALLAS, Feb 22, 2002/ FW/ --- Whee Doggie ... Has Fort Worth changed! Cowboy hats and cobblestone streets abound but the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival is the largest free arts festival in the Southwest. It's an energetic, artsy, hip locale with an eclectic mix of cow polk and art aficionados.

Fort Worth Arts Festival (April 18-21, 2002) hosts 400,000 people and showcases 200 artists from across the US, 100 performers on three large stages, performance artists and street performers in downtown Fort Worth -- stretching nine blocks from the courthouse to the convention center.

"Historically, this is 'where the west began' but Main St. has escorted Fort Worth toward its thriving culture by bringing together everyone from cowboys to artistic mavens," said Stephen King, Director of Festivals & Events.

This cowtown has become a hub for fine museums, a new downtown convention center, a commuter railway, parks, restaurants and urban shopping destinations. During the festival the streets pulsate with outdoor music emanating from trendy, twinkle-lighted eateries surrounding a world-class, juried art show that is anticipated by locals and travelers alike.

"The streets are filled with fascinating sights and sounds as more than 500 fine artists, dancers, performance artists, musicians, and food vendors take part in the four-day celebration," said Stephen King. Two hundred artists line the historical red bricks of Main Street weaving a diverse blend of texture and shape down the "magnificent mile" of art booths, performance stages and intriguing characters.

The festival has won 16 Pinnacle Awards from the International Festivals & Events Association, 20 Awards from the Texas Festivals & Events Association, including the Zenith Award, for the best overall festival in Texas and New Mexico. It's ranked among the Top 100 Festivals in the Nation by Artfair SourceBook, rated as the Top Show in Texas by The Harris List, and is recipient of the Merit Award for Festivals and Events from the International Downtown Association.