Serving Edom, Van, Ben Wheeler, and Van ISD
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Enjoy Autumn in the District
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Autumn is surely right around the corner even in Texas! October is full of some of the best events of the year in the
Van Zandt Arts & Cultural District
(VZACD).
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The
Edom Art Emporium
kicks off the
Edom Art Festival
this year Friday, October 11 with a VIP art show. The festival follows the next two days and continues to attract visitors from all over the country. Eight to 10,000 guests are expected this year!
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The
Van Oil Festival
is stepping up their game on October 12 with the addition of an outhouse race, a barbecue cook-off, and an evening concert by "The Voice" star Holly Tucker. The 2019 Texas Country Music Awards presented Tucker the "Female Artist of the Year" award at their ceremony September 22 at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth. The Van concert runs from 5 to 9 p.m. and also features Elfin Paige and Chase McClanahan. Get tickets
HERE.
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Ben Wheeler's
Fall Feral Hog Festival
takes place October 26 and is always a good time for all ages.
Several Halloween events this month offer candy for the kids and creepy art and a haunted house too. Check out a full calendar of events noted below and on the
VZACD Explore Guide
sponsored by
County Line Magazine.
Please Join Us
The mission of the Van Zandt Arts & Cultural District Foundation is to help create thriving communities in the southeast corner of Van Zandt County that we can all enjoy and keep fun and healthy for generations to come. We do this through two initiatives: economic development through tourism, and arts education for our children in Van ISD. The three towns of Edom, Van, and Ben Wheeler already share the school district -- pooling their fun things-to-do attracts many more tourists and that means more success for all in the district.
Membership in the Van Zandt Arts & Cultural District Foundation makes you a part of strategic efforts to improve our district. Join others like
Door Controls USA, Moore's Store, The Forge, Dragonhead Retreat, Potters Brown, Easy Hanson, Edom Art Emporium, Bill Hullum CPA, County Line Magazine, Glenda Mae's Daylily Farm,
and numerous individuals committed to making our district the best place to live, work, and play.
Tax-exempt dues start as low as $50 per year.
PLEASE
BECOME A MEMBER
TODAY.
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"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself."
— Henry Ford
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TOURISM
• A representative of the Van Zandt Arts & Cultural District is attending the
Texas Downtown Association's
annual conference in Georgetown October 29-Nov 1 to gain more insight on what other destinations across Texas are doing to drive tourism. Speakers include The Daytripper Chet Garner; city leaders from Georgetown, Seguin, Taylor, Denison, Bryan, Elgin, and Fate; and representatives from the Texas Historical Commission, Texas Music Commission, Texas Parks & Wildlife, and Texas Film Commission. The conference is open to anyone interested in attending one or more days. Learn more
HERE
.
• Mark your calendars for the next
VZACD Meet & Greet
from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, November 5, 2019, at Fairfield Inn. All businesses interested in economic development through tourism in the district should have a representative there. Bring your business cards and get to know your commercial neighbors.
• Planning a special event? Get some ideas
HERE
for getting the best crowds
.
• Join other business owners in the district for discussion and information on the Facebook
VZACD Business Community
group page.
• Sign up to receive the weekly
GOOD TIMES
eNewsletter showing fun things to do in the district each week and beyond.
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EDUCATION & KIDS PROJECTS
• Bring the kids to the
Kids Art Area
at the
Edom Art Festival
October 12-13 where they'll get some hands-on experience in creating art with professional artists. And don't miss the
VZACD Young Artists Exhibition
right next to the Kids Art section. Come see the talent of Van ISD Junior High and High School kids in the midst of more than 60 professional artists.
• We are needing a coordinator for the
Van Go Arts Club.
They will arrange for monthly or quarterly meetings and help plan events and activities for kids. They will work with volunteers at festivals and other events. Please call (903) 312-9556 or email info@VanZandtACD.com if interested.
• Join Facebook group
Van Go Arts Club
to keep up with topics relating to Van ISD communities, kids, and arts education.
• We hope Van ISD teachers and administrators will take advantage of
Mount Vernon Music
's offer to do class or assembly demonstrations. These classically-trained musicians play with the Dallas and Fort Worth Symphonies and we're fortunate their mission includes an outreach program to East Texas schools. They engage students through informal conversation, demonstrations, and music and may demonstrate how programs correlate to geography, historical events, and other academic topics students are learning about in school. Get all the details in the VZACD 2019-2020 Arts Program Guide or online
HERE.
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Let's Build An Arts Center
Members of the Van Zandt Arts & Cultural District Foundation are proponents for the creation of an arts center in downtown Van. A small town art center brings a community together, gives kids a place to go for healthy activities, provides a creative outlet for adults, and is a place that brings tourists and therefore improves the economy for the district.
Imagine mom taking a painting class while her daughter gets guitar lessons and tourists buy art in the gift shop. It's a place where a kid that doesn't quite fit in at school can read his poem to a welcoming audience in the coffee shop or show off her painting in the gallery. It's a place where visitors and residents alike come to see art shows, enjoy acoustic music, read in the sculpture garden, and experience meaningful moments that keep them coming back.
The ideal setting includes a gallery for ongoing and new exhibitions throughout the year, a gift shop, coffee bar, small stage for acoustic musicians, poets, and other performances; classrooms for kids and adults alike; and a library. Outdoor sculpture gardens provide space for reading, quiet music, and art exhibits and demonstrations. The location needs to be close to the school so children, parents, and teachers have easy access — within walking distance is ideal — and easily seen and accessible for tourists.
Van city leaders are seriously entertaining this idea -- we hope you will offer your support.
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October 10.
Jason Boland.
Acoustic with Lee Mathis. Moore's Store/Ben Wheeler
October 11.
VIP Cocktail Party.
Edom Art Emporium
October 19
.
Creep Show at Hatchet House of Horror.
Edom Fire Department
October 19.
John Batdorf.
The Old Firehouse. Edom
October 19.
Fall Flower Festival.
Blue Moon Gardens. Edom
October 31
.
Halloween Costume Stroll.
Van
November 2.
Neal Katz, Tim Chauvin, Bill Nash.
The Old Firehouse. Edom
November 23.
Pierce Pettis.
The Old Firehouse. Edom
December 7
.
American Dreamer.
The Old Firehouse. Edom
December 7.
Luminations.
Blue Moon Gardens. Edom
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READ ALL ABOUT IT!
A recent transplant that's making a difference,
a pork-exploding sandwich, and a little history on the Van oil boom
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About the Van Zandt Arts & Cultural District Foundation
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The Van Zandt Arts & Cultural District Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization supporting tourism and education opportunities in the southeast corner of Van Zandt County — a distinctive arts and cultural sector of the county that includes
Edom, Van,
and
Ben Wheeler,
as well as the
Van school district
.
Our mission is to enhance and promote the value of the district’s creative and economic life by engaging artistic, cultural, educational, and commercial neighbors through programs, events, and initiatives. More tourism opportunities and arts education means better communities for residents and future generations.
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Van Zandt Arts & Cultural District Foundation
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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