Photo: Kyle Fierro
The Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach, California, has made its yearly return and ignited the creative community in Orange County. Happening now through September 3, 2026, the event features 120 local visual artists alongside live entertainment, hands-on art activities, and more. There’s something for everyone in this long-standing show, which has been around for nearly a century.
The core of the festival is its artists and the work that they exhibit. Artists are selected by a jury, making it a high-caliber event that affords creatives the valuable opportunity to have their work seen by the general public and sold, too, often landing them in private collections. While it’s a boon for artists, attendees get direct interaction with the art on display. Visitors can talk with the artists and get insight into their creativity, from their processes to inspiration and more. To facilitate these interactions, the festival hosts free art tours throughout the week, where you’ll be sure to meet the artists and even see them demo their techniques.
The visual arts component is supported by daily live music. In 2026, the festival boasts three new music series happening throughout each weekend: Flashback Friday, Showstopper Saturday, and Southern Songbook Sundays. This builds on the success of the Tribute Music series from previous years, with those performances on Wednesday.
Special events keep attendees coming back throughout the show’s two-month run. On August 9, it’s hosting the Festival Runway Fashion Show, which features artist-designed recycled fashion. The high-energy Battle of the Arts takes place on August 23, where exhibition artists go head-to-head in a live paint-off while pianists share the stage in a collaborative performance. There are recurring Paint and Sip classes as well as Prints and Pinots happening on alternating Sunday afternoons. Whatever your interests, there are ways to get even more enjoyment from this arts festival.
The Festival of Arts runs daily. On Monday through Friday, it’s open from 4 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. On the weekends, it begins at 11 a.m. and runs until 11:30 p.m. For more information and a schedule of events, visit the Festival of Arts website.
The Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach, California, has made its yearly return and ignited the creative community in Orange County.
Happening now through September 3, 2026, the event features 120 local visual artists alongside live entertainment, hands-on art activities, and more.
Photo: Kyle Fierro
The core of the festival is its artists and the work that they exhibit.
Photo: Kyle Fierro
Artists are selected by a jury, making it a high-caliber event that affords creatives the valuable opportunity to have their work seen by the general public and sold, too, often landing them in private collections.
Photo: Kyle Fierro
While it’s a boon for artists, attendees get direct interaction with the art on display.
Photo: Kyle Fierro
Photo: Lily Fassnacht
Visitors can talk with the artists and get insight into their creativity, from their processes to inspiration and more.
Photo: Lily Fassnacht
Special events keep attendees coming back throughout the show’s two-month run, including things like paint and sip…
…and the Festival Runway Fashion Show, which features artist-designed recycled fashion.
Photo: Cheryl Walsh
The visual arts component is supported by daily live music.
Photo: Kyle Fierro
Photo: Darnell Wade
My Modern Met attended the Festival of Arts Fine Art Show. Check out some of the artists we saw while there:
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