The 2025 Coral Springs Festival of the Arts: The Last Hurrah
For yet another year, I was back at the Coral Springs Festival of the Arts, which celebrated its 19th edition at The Walk of Coral Springs. This year’s event, however, was a little different than past years. Why? Well, because this year’s event will be the last. That’s right, despite attracting over 30,000 visitors annually, the financial burden of securing the necessary funds to sustain the event and challenges in volunteer staffing will bring one of the most eclectic and enjoyable festivals in South Florida to a close.
Young artist at work at the 2025 Coral Springs Festival of the Arts
The festival volunteer committee, in a statement to TAPinto Coral Springs, explained the financial issues:
“Every resident has been impacted by increases in the cost of almost everything. The festival has been similarly impacted by these increases, which has made each successive festival more expensive to fund. As a result, it has become very difficult to raise sufficient capital through corporate sponsorships to cover the cost associated with the event. Prices have more than doubled in the 20 years of the festival, so the operating costs have simply outpaced our ability to fundraise.”
The festival committee – comprised of local volunteers, many of whom have been involved from the start – “have genuinely loved being a part of the festival,” the statement said. Ending the event after the 2025 festival is a “heartbreaking decision” that “was not made lightly,” the statement said.
The festival committee – comprised of local volunteers, many of whom have been involved from the start – “have genuinely loved being a part of the festival,” the statement said. Ending the event after the 2025 festival is a “heartbreaking decision” that “was not made lightly,” the statement said.
So it was with more than a touch of melancholy that I proceeded to walk from one end of the festival to the other with my Sony a7RV and the FE 24-105 f/4 G lens, taking my last photographs of a festival that I have enjoyed attending since I first stumbled upon it back in 2019. And despite it being the last year, it was as enjoyable as ever.
THE FESTIVAL
THE ARTISTS
Artists from all over Florida exhibited their works at the Festival – you’ll find a sampling of them in the gallery below…
THE PERFORMERS
Every year, the Coral Springs Festival of the Arts delivers a dynamic mix of musical styles and cultures. This final year was no different, with show-stealers Venezuela Danza y Tambor closing out the festival in their usual flamboyant style on Saturday.
Check out their own gallery HERE
RONIN TAIKO DRUMMERS
The always entertaining Ronin Taiko drummers closed out the festival in thunderous style on Sunday.
THE VENDORS
From hot dogs and lemonade to spices, home goods and house plants – the festival ain’t just about art, it’s Coral Spring’s largest street market. Check out the gallery…
THE FAREWELL
A short ceremony was held on Sunday honoring the committee members who have invested a good chunk of time every year to ensure the Coral Springs Festival of the Arts is the signature event it has been for the past 19 years in Broward County.
Top L-R: Gisele Rahael (Vice President), Shirley Richards (who founded the Coral Springs Festival of the Arts in 2005), & Joe Morera (President)
The Coral Springs Festival of the Arts may be gone, but it won’t be forgotten. It has been as enjoyable a festival as I’ve ever attended in my now 22 years in South Florida. It will be missed…
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL 2025 GALLERY
You can view galleries from past years HERE
