A crisp autumn breeze swept down Elm, Franklin and Market streets this weekend, carrying with it the warm ring of acoustic guitar chords and the lively buzz of an East Texas crowd.

For two days, the heart of historic downtown Winnsboro transformed into a bustling open-air fine arts market as the Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) hosted its 17th annual Winnsboro Art and Wine Festival.

“We are excited that this year’s festival was one of the largest we’ve had in several years,” WCA Director Mary White said. “Artists were carefully selected so that the quality of art was high and the variety of mediums presented was diverse. This Peter Merts directs the Winnsboro High School Jazz Ensemble. Winnsboro Trading Post owner Jennifer Harris stands by a Christmas Tree display in her store where she has many other holiday items. touring musicians. Schultz, in the Art & Wine Festival. Downtown merchants opened their doors to the year, 11 regional wineries, several food vendors, and live music rounded out the festival. With ideal weather, we had several thousand visitors join us for our twoday event.”

The weekend got underway Friday afternoon with what longtime attendees described as the largest Friday night turnout in recent memory.

As the sun dipped below the rooftops, string lights cast a warm glow across downtown, illuminating bright, rich colors from rows of artwork and handcrafted displays lining The Bowery.

Visitors entering The Bowery from East Broadway Street immediately encountered McKinney artist Dana Brock, who operates out of the Old Cotton Mill. Brock said that this year marked her fourth time participating foot traffic, including the newly relocated Winnsboro Trading Post.

Owner Jennifer Harris recently moved the colorful shop to The Bowery from another location in Winnsboro. She said the festival crowds provided an ideal opportunity for the shop’s grand opening. Fine art took center stage throughout the weekend. Argentine-American artist Bettine Godwin, owner of the Pine Cabin Gallery in Hemphill, featured an expansive collection of her work.

Beyond exhibiting, Godwin teaches fine art and will lead a hands-on workshop at the WCA Creative Learning Center Nov. 13-14. Making his festival debut was artist Dan Pomeroy, whose portfolio drew steady crowds with subjects ranging from detailed Samurai figures and rugged Western landscapes to delicate, luminous hummingbirds. Pomeroy said the hummingbirds drew significant attention throughout the weekend, a series he originally painted for his wife, Terri Lynn.

Live music anchored the festival’s atmosphere. Longtime local musician Gus Gustafson performed indoors at the Culture Club Art Gallery, while singer-songwriter Fritz Schultz entertained listeners on the outdoor street stage.

Both artists brought devoted followings. Gustafson, involved with the WCA since its inception 25 years ago, played an instrumental role in establishing Winnsboro and the WCA Bowery Stage as a stop for nationally originally from Grass Lake, Michigan, now makes his home in Winnsboro, where in addition to performing, he provides advanced guitar instruction to intermediate and professional players.

The Winnsboro High School Jazz Ensemble, directed by Peter Merts, entertained the crowd with big band-style music. The 24-member group included saxophones, trumpets, trombones, drums, marimba and a vocalist.

Capping off the juried honors, jewelry designer Mary Geisler won the festival’s $500 Best of Show award, recognized by judges for exceptional craftsmanship, technical execution, and the professional presentation of her booth collection.