Fashion Gets Redefined August 20th 1-4pm, When Festival of Arts Exhibitors Reuse, Recycle and Reclaim to Invent Haute Couture; Marlee Matlin to Judge, Jerry Penacoli to Host, Audience to Be Wowed


LAGUNA BEACH, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 11, 2011) - August 20th will be the most fashion forward day of the summer when the hugely popular Festival Runway Fashion Show returns to the Festival of Arts for the third year!

Festival of Arts exhibitors team up or go solo in designing what they see to be the season's hottest "green" designs. The only rule? At least 80% of materials used must be reclaimed, reused or recycled. "Extra" TV correspondent Jerry Penacoli will host, while Academy Award® winning actress Marlee Matlin will join two other judges to choose the designs that are in... or out!

"Festival Runway Fashion has quickly become one of our most popular special events, and this year's competition and runway show promises to be the most dynamic yet," said Susan Davis, director of special events for the Festival of Arts. "Participating artists are competing for cash prizes, but really what they want are the bragging rights!"

Returning to the competition are artists Brad Elsberry, Dagmar Chaplin and Adam Neeley (last year's first, second and third place winners, respectively). Neeley's creative use of chicken feathers for a posh frock and Chaplin's reinvention of plastic grocery bags for a medieval gown won wide admiration from judges and crowds alike, but everyone was taken by Elsberry's dramatically visionary use of eucalyptus bark from the very tree that stood beside his booth at the Festival of Arts. Also participating are artists Bruce Burr, Rick Graves, Troels Larsen, Janet Lewis and many others.

What jaw-dropping designs will make memorable artistic statements in 2011? August 20th will tell! If you're a fan of inventive fashion or if you simply enjoy a great show, you won't want to miss this unique event, which will take place from 1-4pm on Saturday, August 20, 2011 at the Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651.

Following Festival Runway Fashion is a celebrity meet and greet evening (from 7-8pm) with the cast of the hit CBS show Criminal Minds, including Joe Mantegna, Matthew Gray Gubler, Shemar Moore, A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster. Both Festival Runway Fashion and celebrity meet-and-greet evenings are free with Festival of Arts admission ($7 for adults, $4 for seniors and students).

The Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters are sponsored in part by Acura, Fidelity Investments, KOST Radio 103.5, the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Vizio, Cox Communications and the Orange County Register. The Festival of Arts is a non-profit organization that produces The Festival of Arts -- California's Premier Fine Art Show and the Pageant of the Masters -- Where Art Comes to Life. For general information, call 949-494-1145 or visit the website at www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org. The event is located at 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, California. Proceeds support the arts and art education in and about Laguna Beach.

Editor's Note: Additional photos available upon request.

Contact Information:

Media contact:
Sharbie Higuchi
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
949.464.4282
Festival of Arts

650 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651