By Gretchen Webster

WESTPORT — The Westport Fine Arts Festival, a holiday weekend tradition that opened for a 52nd year Saturday, filled downtown streets with exhibits by more than 150 artists and craftspeople, including 42 displaying their work for the first time. 

The event, organized by the Westport Downtown Association, continues Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., along Main and Elm streets.

Participants hail from 19 states and Canada, according to festival operations director Huong Belpedio. There are more exhibitors this year than in the recent past, she said, with many eager to show — and sell — their work.

“One artist sold $20,000 worth of art last year,” she said. “That brings people here.” 

But that’s not the only reason that so many artists and art lovers come to the Westport event each year, Belpedio added. “We’re in a beautiful coastal town with a celebrated history.” 

Several of the artists agreed about Westport’s reputation as a wonderful place to hold an arts festival.

“It’s a very cultured town. I love this town,” said painter Dean DiMarzo from Rhode Island, standing before his tent displaying paintings of a lighthouse, and views of seaside architecture. He has been showing work at the Westport festival more than 20 years, he said.

“Customers really support my work here,” said Valerie Romano, a New Hampshire artist who is a former textbook illustrator. Her art features Pointillism style, employing hundreds of dots to paint an image, many featuring trees. The unusual perspective of her paintings caught the eyes of visitors, with skyward views up through trees.

Greg Hellman, a New Haven resident, was at the festival with his friend Jenna Jageler of Pennsylvania, who enjoyed trying on hats by Jennifer Hoertz, of Brewster, N.Y., a first-year participant in the festival.

When Hellman was growing up in Westport, he came to the arts festival every year, he said, and didn’t want to miss it this year.

One of the seven Westport artists showing at the festival this year, Nancy Breakstone, is a photographer who worked as a paralegal many years, but now has returned to her first love — photography.

Peter Cadoux was among those admiring the photos — many of Westport scenes — at Breakstone’s exhibit.

“I’m the architect who designed the building in that photo,” he said, pointing to Breakstone’s photograph of the Levitt Pavilion shrouded in mist, creating a romantic image of the Westport landmark.

Cadoux said he has seen several photos of the pavilion, but never one like Breakstone’s. 

A Westport couple, Katie and Augie Wilkinson, were perusing the art-filled tents with daughters Emma, 11, and Nora, 4. Emma, a sixth-grade student at Bedford Middle School, said she is interested in art, particularly digital imagery, and attends gallery art classes in Westport. 

“We come every year,” her father said.

Rows of festival tents exhibiting the art and crafts line Main Street and the sidewalk at the intersection of Main Street and Post Road East during the festival. 

Church Lane was also used for the first time this year as the site for children’s activities, including bubble blowing, painting and visits with the “Sesame Street” character Elmo. The children’s venue was moved this year, Belpedio said, to make more room for artists and to give the festival a special area for youngsters.

Elm Street is the site for festival food vendors as well as musical performances, which also take place at other spots in the festival footprint. 

Freelance writer Gretchen Webster, a Fairfield County journalist for many years, was editor of the Fairfield Minuteman and has taught journalism at New York and Southern Connecticut State universities.