Sat., Feb. 28, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sun., March 1, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa, gasparillaarts.com.

Offering a Pollack-like splash of variety in a riverfront setting, the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts draws nearly a quarter-million art lovers of all ages to downtown Tampa each year. The free two-day fest has acquired acclaim as one of the premier arts events in the Tampa Bay area, ranking among the nation’s leading juried arts festivals that feature both fine and craft art.

Optimally scheduled for the final weekend of February/early March — when pre-springtime breezes chill the Sunshine State — the 45th annual Gasparilla Festival of the Arts allows patrons to stroll rows and rows of ceramic, digital, drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, watercolor and wood. The juried festival features competitors from across the U.S. and around the world. Works of local young and emerging artists, live entertainment, local food vendors and children’s art areas are also featured. It’s all quite a coup considering that GFoA is a not-for-profit organization managed and operated by volunteers.

Returning artists include a number of prize-winners from 2014, including painter Laura Nugent (winner of the Raymond James Financial Best of Show Award), jewelry designer Christiane Hampel, painter Randall Smith and photographer Richard Auger. Tampa Bay mixed-media artist Carolina Cleere created “Ballad of Bombay,” the artwork for the 2015 T-shirts and posters. Although emerging artists do not compete against the other festival artists for prize money, their artwork will be juried by the festival juror and will be eligible for The Yates Law Firm $1,000 Emerging Artist Award.

What’s new this year? Guest juror and esteemed curator and arts scholar Elaine Gustafson will award nearly $75,000 in prize money. In addition, model-building will be taken to a whole new artistic level when The Pavilion Project debuts at the Kiley Garden.

A new design challenge from the ingenious folks at Urban Conga — a collective group of creators promoting community activity and physical social interaction through play — the project will yield seven unique structures that will take shape in Kiley Garden adjacent to the festival. Seven participating artists and teams were selected to build and install a custom pavilion from a uniform kit of parts designed by the Urban Conga.

“Think ‘Erector Set’ for grownups — life-sized,” says organizer Mitzi Gordon. Visitors on Saturday will get to vote on their favorite designs, and pavilions will also be eligible for a Judge’s Choice award, selected on their expression of spatial, inspiring, communal, innovative and colorful design elements.

SCHEDULE

Saturday February 28
9 a.m.–6 p.m.: Festival open
11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Art Collectors in Training. Youngsters ages 6-14 get a chance to buy GFoA artworks for $5-$10, with all proceeds matched dollar for dollar by the Brink Foundation, a private Tampa-based family foundation organized to promote social justice and equality.
8 p.m.-11 p.m.: galaRE: A special, limited-ticket showcase of award-winning GFoA art at the Tampa Museum of Art, with food by Capital Grille. Tickets $55, gfa-galare.com.

Music
10-11:30 a.m.: Paula Stevens (Tampa Bay-based gospel singer)
Noon-1 p.m.: Sound Underground (Miami-based, wise-beyond-their-years
jazz trio)

1:30-3:15 p.m.: Dropin Pickup (eclectic folk rockers)
3:45-5:45 p.m.: Serotonic (Tampa-based funk/jazz act)

Sunday March 1
10 a.m.–5 p.m.: Festival open
11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Art Collectors in Training

Music
10-11 a.m.: Shane and Emily (Port Richey-based uplifters)
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Daniel B. Marshall (eclectic Tampa rocker)
1:30-3 p.m.: Patchouli/Terra Guitarra (smooth jazz-nuevo flamenco purveyors)
3:30-5 p.m.: The Applebutter Express (bluegrass-jam-ukulele-soul-funk-Americana act)

DO'S AND DON'TS

DO view the artists online. The 2015 Artist Gallery at gasparillaarts.com/artist-gallery is a great way to get an overview of the hundreds of artists who’ll be showing their work.
DO plan ahead for parking. Tampa Downtown Partnership Guides are a great help for navigating downtown parking lots and garages. TDP offers an interactive map at tampasdowntown.com/interactive-map.aspx. A lot that’s somewhat hidden and just a few blocks away can be found at the southwest corner of Tampa and Fortune streets; only $2 a day, and according to GFoA’s website, fest-goers can park at the CL Parking at Ashley and Fortune “for a nominal fee.”
DON’T bring Fido or any other pets. No pets are allowed (though many have broken this rule with no repercussions).
DO plan on snacking: Food options include food and drink trucks (among them Taco Bus, Wicked Wiches, and 5 Buck Truck, serving Bloody Marys and other mixed drinks) and tented vendors (including Island Noodles and Artichoke French). For a complete list, see the Gasparilla Fest dining guide.
DON’T bring bicycles or rollerblades onto the grounds.
DO bring a picnic blanket. Though bringing food and drinks from home is frowned upon, seating near the food vendors tends to be perch-where-you-can, so a blanket provides a nice option if you can find a spot on Curtis Hixon’s great lawn. There will be tables set up for food, but many people sit on the risers that lead down to the park, providing plenty of seating.
DON’T wear open-toed shoes.
DO talk to the artists. When browsing, make a point to meet them and ask questions. Also, find out about their photo policy before snapping pics with your cellphone.
DO visit the Tampa Museum of Art. It will be open free of charge for the weekend.