In 2002, stART on The Street was a small start-up looking to change the cultural landscape in Worcester. Its goal was to create a community platform for local artists that was also financially accessible. Fast-forward 15 years, and stART is now the cultural event of the year, acting as a staple for the Worcester community.

The small idea that started in Main South has blossomed into a festival with enough power to shut down Park Avenue from Pleasant to Highland streets. When asked if the organizers were planning anything special or new to celebrate stART’s 15th anniversary, stART coordinator Tina Zlody said, “We aren’t doing anything big or trying to reinvent the wheel, but we did do a T-shirt contest. Submissions just closed, and we start judging in order to decide which design will go on this year’s shirts. Whoever wins will get $200.”

Zlody is one of the founding members of the organization and is proud of the service stART provides to budding artists, as well as the artistic and cultural experience it brings to the Worcester community. Zlody has felt support from the community since the inception of stART in its earliest days. “There hasn’t been a moment that I have felt that the city hasn’t supported the work of our artists,”she said.

StART features 250 artists and 30 performance acts, as well as major bands. Three musical stages are active throughout the day, giving visitors the opportunity to decide which performers they want to hear. Street performers are also a key piece of keeping the festival fun and novel, bringing a foreign art form home to Worcester. The stART team searches for the best street performers using its “entire toolbox,” Zlody said.

This festival has grown to such a magnitude that it’s attracting artists from across the country, Zlody said. “We’ve had artists fly in from California and Baltimore; they come from all over.”

Despite its success, stART has been able to keep a tight grip on what makes it unique in the world of art and culture. The group’s dedication to its initial goal of creating an accessible space for all artists to showcase and sell artwork has not changed. Zlody emphasized how important this is to her as a member of the community and to stART as an organization.

“To be an artist at the festival, we keep our entry prices for booths low, so we’re accessible to everyone. Our mission is that StART is accessible to everyone.”

The focus of stART is solely on handmade art, and booths are inspected to make sure everything being sold has been created by the artists themselves. Vintage items are not allowed; everything must be handmade and meet the criteria set by the stART planning committee.

This incredible event attracts 55,000 people a year, and you certainly don’t want to miss its 15th birthday. Come visit the artists and check out the food offerings as you stroll through and treasure hunt for your new favorite piece of art to bring home.

StART will take place Sept. 17 on Park Ave. in Worcester. The festival will run from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. and admission is free. For more information, visit startonthestreet.org.

Victoriahope McAuliffe