Whitefish Arts Festival 2026 - 47th Annual

The Whitefish Arts Festival is the 47th annual event held over the 4th of July weekend in Whitefish, Montana, sponsored by Whitefish Christian Academy. The festival takes place at Depot Park in the Flathead Valley and features a wide variety of fine arts and crafts including metal sculptures, paintings, photography, woodworking, pottery, jewelry, clothing, and home decorations.

The festival is open to all artists and craftspeople. All work must be original and hand-crafted by the artist; commercially made goods, kit items, or work from commercial patterns are not permitted. Exceptions are made for complementary items that do not alter the artistic impact (such as clasps on necklaces or knife sharpeners sold by knife makers), which must be disclosed and approved on the application. Artwork is evaluated for creativity, quality, originality, and jury preference. Artists are required to be present for the entire show.

Booth fees for a 10' by 10' single booth are $350; a 10' by 20' double booth is $620; and a 20' by 20' quadruple booth is $1,020. Corner add-ons and electricity are available for additional fees. A 10% discount is available for single 10' by 10' booths using code WAFFRIEND. The application deadline is February 10, 2026, with a $30 non-refundable application fee. Acceptance notifications are sent March 7, with booth payment due by March 21. The festival runs Friday, July 3rd and Saturday, July 4th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, July 5th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Artist booth setup begins July 2nd at 8 a.m. Artists must supply all display materials and use a commercial-grade tent or EZ Up. No spikes are allowed except in the northeast corner of the park with prior request. Professional overnight security is provided Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Dogs are not permitted except service animals.