New items on display at fine arts center

The Breckenridge Fine Arts Center has acquired a new festival dress and head-dress to be added to their permanent collection. The BFAC now has 30 very colorful festival dresses on display in that permanent exhibit.

The festival dresses in the BFAC collection represents the three festivals in Texas, which includes the Tyler Rose Festival, the San Antonio Fiesta Festival and the Corpus Christi Buccaneer Days.

The new acquisition is from the 2015 Tyler Rose Festival, worn by Madison Tierney Jones of Albany, who was Duchess of Albany. The dress is titled ‘Octopus,’ which includes a very elaborate jeweled black dress and headdress. 

Among the collection is one worn by Courtney Carrie Clark, daughter of David and Lynn Clark of Breckenridge. She participated in the 1994 San Antonio Fiesta Festival in the Court of International Celebrations as Duchess of Carnival.

The girls who participate in the festivals and wear the elaborate dresses are usually in their sophomore year of college. The value of the dresses can range from $4,000 to as much as $48,000. The oldest dress in the BFAC collection is the 1951 dress that was worn in the San Antonio Fiesta Festival.