Arts Alive! Home and Garden Show hosts a successful 26th-year festival

Posted: Feb 26, 2023 / 07:27 PM CST

Updated: Feb 26, 2023 / 07:27 PM CST

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) – Sunday wrapped up the annual 26th Arts Alive! Home and Garden S how.

26 years of success, bringing Texoma together for one weekend to carry out the same goal; show what our community has to offer.

“This year we are back to our pre-pandemic, pre-ice storm, pre-all of those issues that we’ve had the past couple of years, that may have hindered some people from coming out. But this year we haven’t seen any of that. I think people are ready to get back out and enjoy what the community has to offer,” Arts Council of Wichita Falls Marketing Director Kirsten Shiplet said.

Local business Sutherlands has been a part of the Arts Alive! Home and Garden show for all 26 years. Assistant Manager Amanda Bullard said her favorite part about coming every year is getting people ahead of the game for the spring season.

“Home and garden are one of my departments over at the store, so I like being able to give awareness of what type of plants people should be growing, what kind of products they need to use, just kinda get spring in people’s minds early. In about two weeks we are going to get all our plants in so this just plants a seed for people to know it’s almost time to garden,” Bullard said.

Jaime Olgun, Owner of Carpet Pros Wichita Falls, said the traction his business received this weekend made it worth having his booth at the festival.

“There were a lot of people that didn’t know us and now, they do, there were thousands that came by our business and so I believe that we are going to have a really really good outcome by coming here, it was worth it, investing in being here,” Olgun said.

Shiplet said what makes the show special for her is seeing the families come and take a look around.

“I love seeing the families come out. We want to provide a family-friendly environment, and a positive safe atmosphere that people can just come and enjoy and look around and spend a couple of hours for me that’s just been the best thing. Just to see families come out and support,” Shiplet said.