USA TODAY 10Best
Art lovers' paradise: 10 best art festivals you can't miss
Best Art Festival (2024)
Art festivals are a great way to discover new artists, enjoy live performances, and immerse yourself in creative works. Millions of people attend art festivals across the U.S. every year, with each event offering its own unique appeal. But which ones are the best?
To answer that question, an expert panel nominated their top picks, then voted for their favorites to determine the winners. Whether you're a collector, a casual fan, or an artist yourself, you're sure to find something to inspire you at these 10 amazing art festivals.
- Art in the High Desert - Bend, Oregon
- St. Petersburg Fine Art Festival - St. Petersburg, Florida
- Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival - Winter Park, Florida
- Black & Brown Comix Arts Festival - San Francisco, California
- Santa Fe International Folk Art Market - Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Des Moines Arts Festival - Des Moines, Iowa
- Mission Fed ArtWalk - San Diego, California
- Dogwood Arts Festival - Knoxville, Tennessee
- Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original - Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Artisphere - Greenville, South Carolina
Photo courtesy of StefaNikolic / E+ Getty Images
No. 10:
Art in the High Desert is held in the heart of Bend, just east of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, so there's beauty on the canvases and in the views. Central Oregon's premier juried fine art craft show and sale features around 150 nationally acclaimed artists showcasing distinctive work in a variety of media. The flagship cultural event is a testament to Bend’s thriving arts scene.
Photo courtesy of Evan Reinheimer
No. 9:
Whether an art aficionado or a casual observer, visitors revel in the richness of original artwork by more than 100 artisans at the St. Petersburg Fine Art Festival. The outdoor gallery of original art includes works in paint, photography, metal, digital art, jewelry, glass, ceramics, woodworking, mixed media, and fiber art. Attendees can even commission an original piece of art.
No. 8:
The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival (WPSAF) launched in 1960, showcasing the community's solid artists and crafters. Today, it attracts more than a quarter of a million visitors. There's a wide variety of media on display, from clay and digital art to jewelry and sculpture, as well as music and entertainment, Florida sunshine, and dozens of food options at one of the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor art festivals.
Photo courtesy of The NorcalMLK Foundation
No. 7:
Free and open to the public, the Black & Brown Comix Arts Festival features as part of San Francisco's MLK festivities. The event, the result of a partnership between Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation and the San Francisco Public Library, aims to showcase the creativity of people of color in both comic arts and popular visual culture through a grand expo, hands-on activities, film screenings, and cosplay events.
Photo courtesy of B. Smith for International Folk Art Market
No. 6:
With a mission to celebrate and preserve folk art traditions from around the globe, Santa Fe's renowned International Folk Art Market is the largest market of its kind on the planet. Over 100 artists representing almost 60 countries participate, with over 15,000 visitors in attendance. Held each July, the market creates a unique environment where buyers, art appreciators, and artists from all corners of the globe can connect face-to-face.
Photo courtesy of Des Moines Arts Festival
No. 5:
The state's largest arts and cultural event, the Des Moines Arts Festival hosts nearly 200 of the nation's top artists showing their work in a downtown location amid the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park and the Krause Gateway Center. The festival is a 14-time winner of the Grand Pinnacle Award from the International Festivals and Events Association.
Photo courtesy of ArtWalk San Diego
No. 4:
Mission Fed ArtWalk serves as an open-air gallery where more than 250 visual and performing artists showcase their distinctive work. The event also hosts a KidsWalk, a hands-on art experience for little O'Keeffes and Picassos to undertake with the sounds of live music serving as soundtrack. It's the largest art festival and cultural event in San Diego's Little Italy.
Photo courtesy of Dogwood Arts, Jared Worsham Photography
No. 3:
Dogwood Arts Festival simultaneously celebrates an impressive collection of art from over 100 artists and the spring bloom of dogwood trees in Knoxville, Tennessee. Held on the beautiful Performance Lawn at World’s Fair Park, the event includes live music, activities for kids, entertainment, and food vendors showcasing the culinary bounty of East Tennessee.
Photo courtesy of Ann Arbor Street Art Fair Staff
No. 2:
For more than 65 years, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original has sought to foster public knowledge and appreciation of contemporary fine arts and crafts by connecting artists to the community. This three-day juried street art fair welcomes around 200 artists and over 200,000 attendees, complemented by a number of free interactive cultural activities and performances.
Photo courtesy of Creagh Cross for Artisphere
No. 1:
Since its inception, Artisphere in Greenville, South Carolina, has earned regional as well as national esteem as one of the top art events in the nation. The three-day event hosts international-caliber artists in an outdoor showcase where patrons can meet artists face-to-face while shopping for one-of-a-kind pieces. Food, live performances, demos, and hands-on activities for the little ones complement the visual art on display.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Anna Keizer
Anna Keizer originally hails from the Chicagoland... Read More
Anna Keizer originally hails from the Chicagoland area but now calls LA home. After receiving her B.A. in Film/Video from Columbia College Chicago, she moved to California and finished her M.A. in Film Studies from Chapman University. She has also graduated from UCLA’s Writing for Television Professional Program and just finished the festival circuit on her dark comedy short She Had It Coming, which she wrote and executive produced. The film was an Official Selection of 25 film festivals with several awards won for it among them. In her spare time, Anna cohosts the podcast ‘80s Movie Montage with her husband, Derek Dehanke.
Anna Keizer
Anna Keizer originally hails from the Chicagoland area but now calls LA home. After receiving her B.A. in Film/Video from Columbia College Chicago, she moved to California and finished her M.A. in Film Studies from Chapman University. She has also graduated from UCLA’s Writing for Television Professional Program and just finished the festival circuit on her dark comedy short She Had It Coming, which she wrote and executive produced. The film was an Official Selection of 25 film festivals with several awards won for it among them. In her spare time, Anna cohosts the podcast ‘80s Movie Montage with her husband, Derek Dehanke.
Carly Caramanna
Carly Caramanna has a passion for covering the... Read More
Carly Caramanna has a passion for covering the latest in unique food, travel, and theme park trends. Growing up in the carb-filled land of bagels and pizza by the slice (aka New Jersey), her parents instilled a love of all things adventure and food. Featured on CNN Business, BBC, NPR, MSN, Huffington Post, and host of the Attractions Magazine podcast, she uses her expertise as a contributor to Travel + Leisure, Business Insider, Delish, and many more. www.adventuresbycarly.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/adventuresbycarly/ X: https://twitter.com/CarlyCaramanna
Carly Caramanna
Carly Caramanna has a passion for covering the latest in unique food, travel, and theme park trends. Growing up in the carb-filled land of bagels and pizza by the slice (aka New Jersey), her parents instilled a love of all things adventure and food. Featured on CNN Business, BBC, NPR, MSN, Huffington Post, and host of the Attractions Magazine podcast, she uses her expertise as a contributor to Travel + Leisure, Business Insider, Delish, and many more. www.adventuresbycarly.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/adventuresbycarly/ X: https://twitter.com/CarlyCaramanna
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown (Chicago) when bulletproof was a... Read More
Born in Bucktown (Chicago) when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) and relies on her vast experience and gray matter to produce informative, entertaining content.
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown (Chicago) when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) and relies on her vast experience and gray matter to produce informative, entertaining content.
Jacob and Esther of Local Adventurer
Esther JuLee and Jacob Fu run one of the largest... Read More
Esther JuLee and Jacob Fu run one of the largest travel blogs in the world, Local Adventurer, where they hope to encourage everyone to find adventure in their everyday lives. They spent 7 years moving to a new city every year and are now based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jacob and Esther of Local Adventurer
Esther JuLee and Jacob Fu run one of the largest travel blogs in the world, Local Adventurer, where they hope to encourage everyone to find adventure in their everyday lives. They spent 7 years moving to a new city every year and are now based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Joanne and Tony DiBona
Travel memories may fade over time, but... Read More
Travel memories may fade over time, but photographs recall those magical moments.
Joanne and Tony DiBona
Travel memories may fade over time, but photographs recall those magical moments.
Kimmie Conner
Kimmie is a natural-born content creator who has... Read More
Kimmie is a natural-born content creator who has been living, working, traveling, blogging, photographing, and attending festivals around the world for over 8.5 years. She is a full-time blogger at Adventures & Sunsets blog and lives a digital nomad lifestyle. Her platforms help others travel in the most value-packed way and recommend adventurous, unique & boutique travel experiences and stays, products, and comprehensive guides. Her festival 'review-guides' are the most comprehensive on the internet and have helped thousands of festival-goers plan their trips to festivals on 6 continents. She loves to inspire people to plan their dream trips and to think up new ideas for brands, festivals, and destinations. She shares all of her adventures on her Instagram and Tiktok pages.
Kimmie Conner
Kimmie is a natural-born content creator who has been living, working, traveling, blogging, photographing, and attending festivals around the world for over 8.5 years. She is a full-time blogger at Adventures & Sunsets blog and lives a digital nomad lifestyle. Her platforms help others travel in the most value-packed way and recommend adventurous, unique & boutique travel experiences and stays, products, and comprehensive guides. Her festival 'review-guides' are the most comprehensive on the internet and have helped thousands of festival-goers plan their trips to festivals on 6 continents. She loves to inspire people to plan their dream trips and to think up new ideas for brands, festivals, and destinations. She shares all of her adventures on her Instagram and Tiktok pages.
Kristin Luna
Kristin Luna is a Nashville-based travel writer... Read More
Kristin Luna is a Nashville-based travel writer who has contributed to Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, USA TODAY, Southern Living and many more. You can follow her adventures via her blog Camels & Chocolate or on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Kristin Luna
Kristin Luna is a Nashville-based travel writer who has contributed to Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, USA TODAY, Southern Living and many more. You can follow her adventures via her blog Camels & Chocolate or on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Lori Sorrentino
"Lori Sorrentino is an award-winning photographer... Read More
"Lori Sorrentino is an award-winning photographer and freelance travel writer and blogger, who writes about slow food and slow travel on her blog Travlinmad with a mission to Eat Local, Travel Slow. She also publishes Italy Foodies, about food travel in Italy, and the Naples Florida Travel Guide an insider's guide for travelers heading to sunny SWFL. A former destination marketing manager, her work has appeared in the Washington Post, Tages-Anzeiger, and The Huffington Post among others. Originally from New Jersey, when she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Florida writing about the Paradise Coast and the Everglades."
Lori Sorrentino
"Lori Sorrentino is an award-winning photographer and freelance travel writer and blogger, who writes about slow food and slow travel on her blog Travlinmad with a mission to Eat Local, Travel Slow. She also publishes Italy Foodies, about food travel in Italy, and the Naples Florida Travel Guide an insider's guide for travelers heading to sunny SWFL. A former destination marketing manager, her work has appeared in the Washington Post, Tages-Anzeiger, and The Huffington Post among others. Originally from New Jersey, when she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Florida writing about the Paradise Coast and the Everglades."
Marla Cimini
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion... Read More
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Marla Cimini
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Sky Ariella
Sky Ariella is a professional writer and full-time... Read More
Sky Ariella is a professional writer and full-time traveler originally from New York. After graduating from Hunter College in 2018, she took a solo trip around six Southeast Asian countries. Since then, Sky has traveled to 13+ countries from South America to Europe and she’s written for major travel publications like Travel Lemming, Explore, Booking, and In The Know Traveler, along with publishing on her own blog. She’s written for other types of publications like Zippia, FashionCast, and Inspired Momentum Magazine, and currently writes documentary scripts for a major YouTube channel. Follow Sky on Instagram @skyariella, check out her blog on Medium, and learn more about her work on skyariella.com.
Sky Ariella
Sky Ariella is a professional writer and full-time traveler originally from New York. After graduating from Hunter College in 2018, she took a solo trip around six Southeast Asian countries. Since then, Sky has traveled to 13+ countries from South America to Europe and she’s written for major travel publications like Travel Lemming, Explore, Booking, and In The Know Traveler, along with publishing on her own blog. She’s written for other types of publications like Zippia, FashionCast, and Inspired Momentum Magazine, and currently writes documentary scripts for a major YouTube channel. Follow Sky on Instagram @skyariella, check out her blog on Medium, and learn more about her work on skyariella.com.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
