More than 180 artists and nearly 80,000 visitors will rendezvous in Brookside for the 23rd Brookside Art Annual, May 2-4, presented by Saint Lukes Hospital of Kansas City.

Artist demonstrations are a new attraction this year; more than 30 of the artists will be available at scheduled times to answer questions and allow visitors to experience their talent at work. Demonstrations will occur on the half hour from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

The Art Annual, centered under and around several tents set up at 63rd Street and Brookside Boulevard, attracts a diverse group of national and international artists displaying art of all types and price ranges. The event also attracts a diverse crowd from families and groups of friends just out enjoying the spring weather and the chance to browse the art, to serious collectors who rely on the reputation of the Brookside Art Annual to attract and assemble a large and varied group of works available for purchase.

A wide variety of media including acrylic, oil and watercolor painting; photography, sculpture, ceramics, glass, fiber and jewelry will be represented.Most artists booths are set up under a series of large tents, which allows the show to go on, rain or shine. The event hours are 5 –  9 p.m. on Friday, May 2; 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 3; and 11 a.m.  - 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 4.

A childrens art activity area will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Several Brookside restaurants will be serving food from booths during the fair, and light music will enhance the festive atmosphere each evening.

Besides welcoming many out-of-state and international artists, the Art Annual organizers choose many local artists for this prestigious juried show. Exhibiting this year are local artists Michael Baxley, Cathleen Broski, Chris Dahlquist, Tara Dawley, Dana Forrester, Susan Hill, Andrew Johnson, Frances Kite, Cecilia Labora-Meiner, Rusty Leffel, Michael McMullen, Danny Meisinger, Charlie Podrebarac, Mindy Rhoads, Kelvin Schartz, Mark Thorson, Cheryl Toh, Heinrich Toh, and Glenn and Gayle Wans. Award winners from the 2007 event, Craig Lossing, Gregory Strachov, James Wilbat, Jon Michael Route, Kathleen Weir-West, Nick Wroblewski, Sally Bright, Sheldon Ganstrom, Stephen Kostyshyn and Thomas Wargin will return this year.