Columbus Arts Festival 2026

The Columbus Arts Festival, honored by Sunshine Artist Magazine as one of the top ten fine art and design festivals in the country, routinely attracts hundreds of thousands of art patrons to Columbus' Downtown Riverfront along the beautiful Scioto Mile. Produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council, the Festival offers a vibrant atmosphere in which to buy and sell original work—and the opportunity for patrons and artists to meet face to face. In addition to the juried festival artists, the Festival also includes music, dance and theatre performances, spoken word, a family friendly arts area, and delicious food to create a can't miss weekend of arts in the city.

The festival takes place June 12-14, 2026, with artist setup on June 11. Festival hours are Friday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Artists have the option to close at 8 p.m. but can remain open until the end of the festival. Applications are due December 12, 2025 by 5:00pm EST, with notification emailed February 9, 2026. The application is free and requires 5 images plus a booth shot.

Artist amenities include average festival sales of $11,000, total awards of $21,000 ($4,000 for Best in Show), 5 amps of electricity included with each booth fee, one parking space included, complimentary water bottles, continental breakfast, volunteer booth sitters, 24-hour police monitoring, and marketing support. All work must be original and signed handcrafted work with no buy/sell or mass production allowed. The festival accepts work in categories including 2D and 3D Mixed Media, Ceramics, Digital Art, Drawing, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Leather, Metal, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Wood, and an Emerging Festival Artist Program for local residents with limited festival experience.