Arts fair 101: When to go, how to get there

Published 6:06 pm Thursday, July 23, 2009

More than 300,000 people are expected for the Bellevue Arts Museum artsfair (at Bellevue Square), the Sixth Street Fair (at Sixth and 106th Avenue) and the Bellevue Festival of Arts (at Cost Plus World Market, 10300 NE Eighth St.).

Altogether, the work of 665 artists, including sculpture, jewelry, pottery, textiles, glasswork, painting, photography – virtually all arts and crafts media imaginable – will be on display and for sale. Juries selected the art to be presented at all three fairs.

The fairs take place through Sunday. The artsfair runs 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. today and 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The other two fairs are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Each day King County Metro buses will take visitors downtown from four area Park & Ride locations: South Bellevue (2700 Bellevue Way SE), Eastgate (14200 SE Eastgate Way), South Kirkland (10610 NE 38th Pl.) and Kingsgate (1300 116th Way NE).

Several Metro bus routes have been rerouted as a result of festival street closures. For the latest information check Metro Transit’s list of reroutes and service exceptions. For other travel options and tips for getting around, visit Choose Your Way Bellevue.

Several downtown streets will be closed before and during the arts festival and drivers should expect congestion. Street closures, with approximate times, include:

* 100th Avenue Northeast (southbound lanes only), between Northeast Eighth Street and Northeast 10th Street, will be closed until 9 p.m. Sunday.

* 102nd Avenue Northeast, between Northeast Eighth Street and Northeast 10th Street, will be closed until 6 p.m. Sunday.

* 106th Avenue Northeast, between Northeast Fourth and Northeast Eighth streets, will be closed until 10 p.m. Sunday.

* Northeast Sixth Street, between Bellevue Way and 106th Avenue Northeast, will be closed until 10 p.m. Sunday.

* Northeast 10th Street (westbound lanes only), between 106th Avenue Northeast and 108th Avenue Northeast, will be closed from 5-9 p.m. Sunday.