Fashion will enjoy a reinvention on Saturday, August 12 from 12 – 3pm when the crowd-awing Festival Runway Fashion Show returns to the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill fashion show. Just like TV’s Project Runway, see who’s “in” and who’s “out” this year as festival artists compete to create the most inspired couture using reclaimed, reused or recycled material.
The 2016 Festival Runway Fashion Show “People’s Choice Award” winner created by Festival artist Adam Neeley and worn by Julie Holmes
The show “where fashion meets art” is in its ninth year and offers cash prizes of $1,000 in four categories: Most Creative Concept, Most Exciting Ensemble, Most Innovative Use of Materials and Most Glamorous & Elegant “Red Carpet” worthy creation. There will also be a “People’s Choice Award” to be voted on at the event. Competing for the top prize are Festival exhibitors Carla Bosch, Antje Campbell, Stefan Cummings, Brad Elsberry, Elizabeth McGhee, Richard Moren, Adam Neeley, Mariana Nelson and Mike Tauber.
Erika Baldwin walks the runway in a design made by Festival artist Brad Elsberry
The event will be hosted by actress Kate Flannery, best known for her role as Meredith on The Office. Selecting the winners will be a panel of judges including actress/model Melissa Biggs. Melissa is an international model, activist, award-winning entrepreneur with her own fashion line, and actress best known for her role on Baywatch. Also judging the couture will be Marc Luc Zanola, former Paris Boutique Manager for designer Gianfranco Ferre, and Lauren Shapiro, Costume Designer and Wardrobe Stylist for The Late Late Show with James Corden.
“The Festival Runway Fashion Show is one of the Festival’s most popular events of the summer,” said Susan Davis, director of special events for the Festival of Arts. “Every year seems to up the ante, and this year won’t disappoint!”
Kate Flannery is an actor, writer and singer best known for her 9 seasons as Meredith on NBC’s The Office. Kate recurs on ABC’s American Housewife, Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe and Comedy Central’s Another Period. She has guest starred on FOX’s New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine and MTV’s Mary + Jane. She was in the Tribeca Film Fest’s Tenured and Slow Learners and in the critically acclaimed Forth Man Out on NETFLIX. Kate stars in the HBO short Emergency Contact, Dial a Prayer with William H. Macy, and the Sundance hit, Cooties with Elijah Wood.
Kate is currently Jane Lynch’s sidekick in her anti-cabaret act, See Jane Sing, playing the Kennedy Center, Joe’s Pub and 30 cities over the past two years. She is featured on Jane’s Christmas album, A Swingin’ Little Christmas, which hit #8 on Billboard Top 100 charts. Kate’s original cult comedy lounge act, The Lampshades, plays comedy festivals and Hollywood regularly.
In addition to two seasons on the worldwide hit Baywatch, Melissa Biggs has made cameo appearances in such films as Lucky Town, acting alongside James Caan and Kirsten Dunst, Rush Hour 2, and has appeared on TV’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Collection and The Travel Channel’s Secrets.
As a national and international model, Biggs has appeared in the pages and on the cover of dozens of magazines. She’s guest-starred and appeared on the TNT Network hit roller derby show, Roller Jam, and appeared in the documentary, Fashion Runway Behind the Scenes, which aired on HBO for 2 seasons. During a two-year modeling contract for a fitness distribution company, her photos were featured on more than one billion sporting goods packages worldwide.
Today Melissa Biggs is an actor, producer, spokesperson, activist, brand ambassador and entrepreneur. She is a highly accomplished public speaker and is extremely active in her community. Melissa Biggs is currently based in Del Mar, California, with her husband, daughter and three stepsons.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL OF ARTS FINE ART SHOW
Celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2017, the Festival of Arts is one of the most highly-acclaimed juried fine art shows featuring the artwork of 140 award-winning artists. In the newly renovated, multi-million dollar facility, patrons may enjoy the work of exhibiting artists, demonstrations and art workshops, daily art tours, live music, special events, on-site restaurants and much more. For a full listing of events, visit LagunaFestivalofArts.org. The Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters are sponsored in part by Southern California Acura Dealers, Fidelity Investments, KOST Radio 103.5, and the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel.
DATES & TIMES
July 5 – August 31, 2017
Open daily from 10am – 11:30pm
Early closing August 26 at 1:30pm
TICKET INFORMATION
General Admission: Weekdays $8, Weekends $12
Students & Seniors: Weekdays $5, Weekends $8
Free Admission for Children 12 and under, Military, and Laguna Beach Residents.
Passport to the Arts:
A special promotion (funded in part by Bank of America): Passport to the Arts for only $24. Includes unlimited admission all summer long to the Festival of Arts, the Sawdust Art Festival and Laguna Art-A-Fair. Enjoy works of art by more than 500 artists, 300 hands-on workshops, dozens of special events, plus a one time, all-day free parking pass with each Passport purchased. Order online at www.LagunaBeachPassport.com. Passports also available for purchase on-site at each festival location during the summer. Offer excludes Pageant of the Masters.
LOCATION
Festival of Arts Grounds
650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
FOR INFORMATION & TICKETS
(800) 487-3378
Media contact
Sharbie Higuchi
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
