Mainsail Art Festival 2026

The Mainsail Art Festival celebrates its 51st year on Saint Petersburg's Vinoy Park waterfront. This non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers draws upwards of 100,000 festivalgoers each year to see more than 250 accomplished artists from around the country. Mainsail is considered one of the top juried art shows in the country and is consistently ranked by Sunshine Artist Magazine as one of the Top 50 Fine Art & Design Shows, ranking #14 of the top 200 fine art festivals based on a 10-year period.

The festival takes place March 28-29, 2026, in Vinoy Park, surrounded by upscale residences, unique galleries, charming shops, sidewalk cafes and a nearby entertainment complex. Applications are available through ZAPP on October 1, 2025, and must be submitted by midnight (P.S.T.) December 1, 2025. Notifications will be sent by the beginning of January 2026, with February 1, 2026 as the last day for accepted artists to pay for booth space.

Mainsail awards a total of $60,000 in prize money, including a $10,000 Best of Mainsail Gold Award. The jury fee is $35.00 (non-refundable), with booth fees of $425.00 for single spaces and $950.00 for double spaces. All artwork must be original work done by the artist since January 1, 2023, and all artwork must be for sale. Artists may apply in a maximum of two categories, and each exhibitor must prominently display an Artist Statement describing their technique, materials and processes.