Ocala Arts Festival 2026

The 59th annual Ocala Arts Festival takes place October 24-25, 2026 in downtown Ocala, Florida. This two-day festival draws over 30,000 visitors and features artist amenities including complimentary daily breakfast, snacks and beverages, a Saturday artist dinner, convenient Friday setup, artist parking, security, and booth sitters.

Artists must submit four photographs (including one booth shot) and apply in one category only. Accepted categories include Clay, Digital Art, Drawing and Graphics, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Metal, Mixed Media (2D), Mixed Media (3D), Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Watercolor, and Wood. The jury fee is $50. Booth fees are $300 for standard booths and $400 for corner booths. Artists must provide their own 10'x10' white tent or rent from a local vendor. All work must be original, handcrafted by the applying artist, and available for sale. No machine-made or mass-produced work is allowed. Artists must be 18 or older and present for the entire duration of the festival.

The festival offers $27,000 in awards, including a $5,000 Best In Show. Judging is based on originality, creativity, and booth presentation. An Emerging Artist Program supports new artists with waived booth fees, a travel stipend, and other benefits, limited to six participants. Blind jurying concludes by July 18, with acceptance notifications by July 20 and booth fees due by August 15. Application and booth fees are non-refundable.