Fall for the Arts Makes Its Debut at Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier

Friday, 14 October 2011
Contact: Dale Frost (619) 686-6222, (619) 686-6461

Fall for the Arts, a celebration of art and culture, made its debut on Saturday, October 1, 2011, at the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier.

The free event, attended by 3,000 people, featured 66 artists and cultural groups and gave visitors an opportunity to create artworks, listen to music, watch performances and become acquainted with the many art and cultural organizations throughout the region.

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The event was sponsored by the Port of San Diego and the City of San Diego's Commission for Arts and Culture, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, the San Diego Foundation, Americans for the Arts and the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"The Port is excited to be involved in this celebration of arts and culture on San Diego Bay," said Scott Peters, chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners. "There is no better way to engage the community than to draw the public to our magnificent waterfront and showcase the diverse arts and culture San Diego has to offer."

Fall for the Arts is the second event in the Port of San Diego's commitment to "activate the waterfront" with activities and events that the public can enjoy. The first event was Mambo on the Bay, which was held in August at Cesar Chavez Park.

Peters and Vicki Reed, chairman of the City of San Diego's Commission for Arts and Culture, welcomed visitors to Fall for the Arts and to the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier, the port's cruise ship terminal and public events center on San Diego's North Embarcadero.

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Fall for the Arts kicked off National Arts and Humanities Month, a coast-to-coast celebration of the importance of culture in America. It is designed to encourage all Americans to explore new facets of the arts and humanities in their lives.

"Fall for the Arts was wonderful," said artist Carol Thomason of the San Diego Watercolor Society. She said volunteers manning the Watercolor Society booth during Fall for the Arts were able to "reach people we would not normally reach."

"The event was great for the arts organizations, and great for the community," Thomason said.

The Port of San Diego was created by the state legislature in 1962. Since then, it has invested $1.7 billion in public improvements in its five member cities: Imperial Beach, San Diego, Coronado, Chula Vista and National City.

San Diego Bay and its surrounding tidelands provide a recreational haven for boaters, cyclists, fishermen, runners and art enthusiasts. Seventeen public parks along the waterfront include amenities such as children's playgrounds, basketball courts, soccer fields, baseball fields and miles of scenic walkways. There are four public fishing piers, four public boat launch ramps and several accessible boat docks.