St. Johns River Festival of the Arts 2026

The St. Johns River Festival of the Arts invites applications for the Fifteenth Annual Juried Fine Art and Fine Craft Show, scheduled for April 25th and April 26th, 2026, in historic downtown Sanford, Florida. The festival takes place along picturesque brick streets, adjacent to specialty shops, cafes, pubs, and restaurants. With fair weather anticipated, attendance is expected to be approximately 60,000 throughout the weekend.

The festival offers $15,500 in award money, including Best in Show ($3,000), Juror's Choice ($900), eight Awards of Excellence ($800 each), eight Awards of Distinction ($500 each), and the Iris Award ($300). Categories include Painting, Watercolor, Photography, Wood, Clay, Digital Art, Drawing and Graphics, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Leather, Metal, Mixed Media, and Sculpture. The festival is limited to approximately 150 artists and requires submission of three photos of artwork and one outdoor booth photo. Artists must be 18 years old to apply.

Booth fees are $275 for First Street (limited availability) and $235 for Side Street, with a $25 jury fee. The festival provides 24-hour security, convenient drive-in registration, continental breakfast and light lunch in the artist retreat on Saturday and Sunday, booth sitters, and water during festival hours. Setup is available Friday afternoon and evening (3:00-9:00 PM) or early Saturday morning (7:00-9:00 AM). All artwork must be current and represent the entire body of work to be shown, with no manufactured, buy-sell, or inappropriate items allowed.