Updated for 2024
Summer is the best time to meet and chat with exhibiting artists! Plan a summer getaway to stroll the streets of downtown Bloomsburg and enjoy ArtFest, a summer outdoor festival in Bloomsburg, PA. The warm weather makes it the perfect time for outdoor festivals,with music, great food, and art! ArtFest is Columbia County’s biggest one-day outdoor art event of the year!
Where and When the Festival Happens
ArtFest is on the third Saturday of August, so it is scheduled for August 24 this year. The location starts at the monument on the square and goes all the way down Market Street. More than fifty tents with arts and crafts vendors will surround the fountain in Bloomsburg Town Square and up Market Street in downtown Bloomsburg. The best part is that there is no admission charge for the event.
The celebration starts on Saturday at 10 am and continues until 5 pm. There is plenty of metered parking in Downtown Bloomsburg.
What You Will Find at the Festival
Along with more than 50 arts and crafts vendors, you will experience live music, yummy food truck culinary delights, and children’s activities, so it is fun for the whole family. Here’s a breakdown with more information. Or visit The Exchange for the complete list and locations of the ArtFest exhibitors.
Arts and Crafts
The exhibits will include photography and photo images on stretched canvas, drawings, prints, mixed media artwork, and paintings in acrylic, oils, and gouache.
Numerous jewelers will display their work featuring gemstones, sterling silver, beads, clay, charms, and antique and vintage buttons. Other exhibitors include yarn and fabric artists, sculptors, potters, glass artists, and woodworkers.
Some unique exhibitors’ products include bonsai and carnivorous plants, powder horns, and children’s books. Look for upcycled and repurposed furniture and aromatherapy and skin care products.
It’s an excellent opportunity to connect personally with these talented artists and see some of them demonstrating their craft. Strolling through these exhibits is good for the soul. As Pablo Picasso stated, “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”
Children’s Activities
Art inspires children to dream and create, to claim who they are, and to climb their own mountains. The Exchange will provide an Art Cart with art activities to inspire creativity for all ages, especially children. Many contribute to the Art Cart, one being the Bloomsburg Public Library.
Live Music and Food
Along with inspiring art and food truck specialties (tacos, chicken, and waffles), enjoy live music! Local bluegrass, blues, and Americana artists will perform every hour on the hour. Grab a bite, sit by the fountain, and enjoy!
All About The Exchange Gallery
Downtown Bloomsburg, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the downtown commercial district, founded ArtFest in 2009. The Exchange, also a nonprofit, has produced the event since 2016. Attendance at ArtFest has grown exponentially since moving to the square in 2017.
The Exchange Gallery provides a site for local artists of all ages and abilities to display artwork. They host themed exhibitions and juried shows. Look for monthly concerts that feature blues, bluegrass, and American performances.
Artfest, the summer outdoor festival in Bloomsburg, PA, draws visitors throughout our region, so don’t wait to make your reservation for a stay at the Inn at Turkey Hill. We can help you plan your vacation to include all the outdoor summer activities you love, from hiking and kayaking to a day at Knoebel’s Amusement Park.
Photo credit: © Janics Bogi via canva.com