Road Closures for Westport Fine Arts Festival

The Town of Westport said road closures will begin at 6 a.m. on Friday, May 22, for the 53rd Westport Fine Arts Festival, which is scheduled for May 23 and 24 in downtown Westport. Town officials said the closures will remain in place until 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 24. The advisory, posted May 20, said drivers should expect heavier traffic and more pedestrians in the downtown area over the weekend. The festival is organized by the Westport Downtown Merchants Association, while the Westport Downtown Association’s event page describes it as the 53rd annual edition. ### Which streets are closing, and for how long? Main Street between Post Road East and Avery Place will be closed from 6 a.m. Friday through 10 p.m. Sunday, according to the town’s traffic advisory. Elm Street between Main Street and Bedford Square will be closed for the same period. The Town of Westport said those streets will be closed to safely accommodate the festival. Officials said the shutdown will affect traffic through the downtown core during the Memorial Day weekend event. ### When is the festival actually open to visitors? The Westport Downtown Association says the 53rd Westport Fine Arts Festival will run on Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, 2026. Its event page says the festival is free to the public and will feature artists working in painting, photography, sculpture, fiber, printmaking, mixed media, glass, ceramics, jewelry, wood and graphics. More than 150 artists are expected to exhibit original work, according to event listings carried by local community calendars and the festival organizer’s materials. The event page also says food vendors, live music, and hands-on art projects and demonstrations for children and adults are planned. ### What should drivers expect downtown this weekend? The town’s May 20 notice said the closures are expected to produce increased traffic congestion in downtown Westport. Officials also said pedestrian volumes will be “significantly higher” throughout the weekend. Motorists traveling through downtown are being urged by the town to use caution, watch for pedestrians and seek alternate routes when possible. The advisory did not list detour streets, but it made clear that through travel on the affected blocks of Main Street and Elm Street will not be available during the closure window. ### Will parking and access near the festival be affected? Downtown access will be tighter because the festival footprint sits directly on Main Street and Elm Street, the two roads named in the advisory. That means drivers heading to shops, restaurants or other destinations near those blocks should expect slower movement and limited curbside access while the closures are in effect. The Westport Downtown Association’s festival page places the event in downtown Westport, and the town advisory ties the traffic impact to that same area. Visitors planning to drive in should check local parking options before arrival and allow extra time to walk from spaces outside the closure zone. ### Who is organizing the event? The Town of Westport identified the Westport Downtown Merchants Association as the host of the annual Fine Arts Festival. The Westport Downtown Association’s event page says the festival is a juried show drawing regional, national and international artists. Sue Brown Gordon of Gordon Fine Arts is listed on the festival page as artist director for the 2026 event. Huong Belpedio is listed there as the contact for sponsorship inquiries. ### Where can people check details before heading out? The Town of Westport posted the traffic advisory on May 20 on its municipal news page. The Westport Downtown Association has a separate festival page with event details, including dates, artist information and public programming. The next key date is Friday, May 22, when the road closures begin at 6 a.m., according to the town. Festival activities are scheduled for Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, with the streets set to reopen by 10 p.m. Sunday.