Lakefront Festival of Art 2027

The Lakefront Festival of Art is one of the nation's premier outdoor art festivals, held on the grounds of the Milwaukee Art Museum along Lake Michigan. The three-day festival showcases 150 professional fine artists across 15 disciplines and welcomes more than 16,000 attendees. In 2027, the festival runs Friday, June 18 (10 AM–7 PM), Saturday, June 19 (10 AM–7 PM), and Sunday, June 20 (10 AM–5 PM). Artist load-in and set-up is Thursday, June 17, 2027.

Applications are due online by December 14, 2026. Entry fee is $45 (non-refundable) and booth fee is $575. Artists are selected through a blind jurying process by a panel of three jurors who review five art images and one booth image submitted by each applicant. LFOA typically receives about 1,000 applications for up to 150 booth spaces. Jury day is January 8, 2027, and artists will be notified by January 15, 2027. Registration and fees are due by February 19, 2027 (non-refundable after March 12, 2027). Booth assignments are released April 9, 2027.

A total of $10,000 in awards will be presented—ten awards of $1,000 each based on excellence determined by jurors. Award-winning artists are automatically invited back the following year without jurying and receive a commemorative piece of artwork. A design award competition offers $1,400 commission to create awards for the jurors' selections, with jury exemption for the designing artist. Artist benefits include website listing with image, complimentary breakfasts on Friday and Saturday, catered awards breakfast on Sunday, free snacks and water, 24-hour security, free Milwaukee Art Museum admission, convenient load-in/out and parking, and booth sitting. Only original artwork produced by the exhibiting artist may be exhibited. Artists retain all sales proceeds and must obtain a Wisconsin sellers permit and file 7.9% sales tax. Presented by Friends of Art, a support organization of the nonprofit Milwaukee Art Museum.