North Texas event organizers are monitoring radar due to severe weather threats. Art in the Square, an annual festival in Southlake sponsored by NBC 5 and Telemundo 39, is also on alert. NBC 5’s Tahera Rahman reports from the festival.
Southlake's 24th Art in the Square event drew in 150 artists and hundreds of people over the weekend.
The Southlake Women's Club hosts the annual event, of which NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 are sponsors.
Organizers say the event is one of the only art festivals in the country that is 100% fundraiser: All staff are volunteers, and money from vendor fees and food goes to charities in Tarrant County.
Last year, they donated $130,000 and hope to exceed that number this year.
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Organizers said 650 artists applied to be at the event, and a jury of artists from different media chose 150 to set up a booth. Artists came from all over the country, as well as Canada and Mexico.
On Saturday, Kathy Talley, chair of the event, said staff got rained on Friday while setting up for the festival, but they've been able to escape severe weather so far.
As of Saturday evening, only a couple of rounds of sprinkles had brought umbrellas from attendees and tarps from some vendors out.
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With two more batches of storms on the radar, Talley said they were monitoring the weather and staying in touch with NBC 5 meteorologists, Southlake's emergency operations center, and the police department.
“We’re ever watchful. We communicate with all of our vendors, our food vendors, our sponsors, and our artists. And so, we have a system of communication, so if they need to shelter in place, we have a plan," Talley said.
On its Facebook page, The City of Southlake posted a message saying it is also monitoring the weather and will update its social media channels if there are any changes to Art in the Square plans.
The weather caused some anxiety at the art show this year.
"I have three different apps… that I monitor," said Tanya Kirouac, an artist from Illinois. “I have 400 pounds of weight on my tent, we’re locked into the sewer grades, like, I mean, we’re pretty secure. But stuff like hail, and maybe tornadoes, it’s a different story.”
She's been a vendor at the show for nearly a decade and said she normally keeps her work in her tent overnight. Severe weather, though, might mean a different plan.
“If it does get as bad as it could be, I’ll probably pull my truck in and pull my paintings out," she said.
Jodi and Scott Causey said they've been checking their phones every half hour for weather updates.
"We know it can change on a dime," Jodi said.
Their work, made out of clay, was not covered by a tent.
“They’re all ceramic, so they’re very breakable. And of course, we are not using a tent because our work is large, we don’t really fit under a tent," she explained.
The Causeys said they've got a van nearby with a box for every precious piece. Their plan is to pack up if the threat gets too close.
They and Kirouac felt the forecast also affected foot traffic this year.
"Normally right now, you would not be able to get in my booth. So, people are staying home," Kirouac said.
Stu Stauber said they almost didn't come out, either.
“We checked the weather forecast, it looked like surprisingly the storms were going to hold off this evening. So, we decided that it would be a nice event to take the family to," he said.
He said he and his family try to come out every year.
“It’s great to see independent artists, to support independent artists," he said.
He didn't plan to stick around long into the evening-- but not because of the weather.
“I think the kids have kind of had their fill. And so has dad," he said.
The Causeys and Kirouac hope Sunday will bring more people, and less weather anxiety.
“Hopefully the big storms will stay away and we’ll be able to finish doing our thing," Jodi said.
“Just come and experience it, even if you get a little wet," Kirouac said.
