25 Largest Art and Craft Fairs in the United States
From Oklahoma City's Festival of the Arts to the Santa Fe Indian Market, these juried outdoor shows bring together hundreds of artists and hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
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Art fairs give shoppers a chance to discover original paintings, jewelry, ceramics, photography, sculptures, clothing, home décor, and other handmade goods directly from the people who create them.
While many art fairs are relatively small community events, the largest fairs in the United States attract hundreds of artists and hundreds of thousands of visitors. We put together a list of the 25 largest art and craft fairs in the United States, assessed by number of attendees as well as number of vendors and exhibitors.
Biggest Art and Craft Fairs in the US
1. Festival of the Arts
Oklahoma City's Festival of the Arts combines a large juried visual arts show with live performances, food vendors, and hands-on activities. The downtown festival has been held since 1967 and has grown into one of Oklahoma City's biggest annual events. This is considered the largest art fair in terms of attendees.
Year established: 1967
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Estimated attendees: 750,000
Estimated exhibitors: 144
2. Ann Arbor Art Fair
The Ann Arbor Art Fair is widely considered one of the largest outdoor art fair events in the country. It is made up of three independently juried fairs held at the same time throughout downtown Ann Arbor. Together, the fairs cover approximately 30 city blocks and feature nearly every major type of visual art and handmade craft. Every year, half a million people visit the Ann Arbor Art Fair.
Year established: 1960
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Estimated attendees: 500,000
Estimated exhibitors: 1,000
3. Columbus Arts Festival
The Columbus Arts Festival brings artists from across the country to the city's downtown riverfront. Visitors can browse ceramics, paintings, photography, jewelry, sculpture, glass, leather, woodwork, and other forms of art. The festival also includes live performances, food vendors, family activities, and demonstrations. The first Columbus Arts Festival was held on the Ohio Statehouse lawn in 1962.
Year established: 1962
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Estimated attendees: 500,000
Estimated exhibitors: 230
4. MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival
MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival transforms downtown Fort Worth into a large outdoor art gallery. The event stretches across approximately 18 square blocks and combines juried visual art with live music, food, drinks, and family activities. Participating artists work in media such as painting, photography, sculpture, glass, metal, jewelry, ceramics, wood, and printmaking.
Year established: 1986
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Estimated attendees: 400,000
Estimated exhibitors: 200
5. Artscape
Artscape is a large, free arts festival held in Baltimore. The festival showcases visual artists and craftspeople alongside public art installations, live music, performances, fashion, film, and food. Since its launch in 1982, Artscape has grown into one of the country's best-known urban arts celebrations.
Year established: 1982
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Estimated attendees: 300,000
Estimated exhibitors: 150
6. Art in the Park
Art in the Park takes over the streets of downtown Plymouth for three days each July. The fair features hundreds of artists selling paintings, jewelry, ceramics, photography, sculpture, glass, fiber art, woodwork, and folk art. Since beginning in 1980, the event has grown into one of Michigan's largest art fairs and one of Plymouth's signature annual events.
Year established: 1980
Location: Plymouth, Michigan
Estimated attendees: 300,000
Estimated vendors: 400
7. St. James Court Art Show
The St. James Court Art Show is held in Louisville's historic Old Louisville neighborhood. Artists set up among Victorian homes, tree-lined streets, and several connected sections of the show. Its unusually large number of exhibitors makes it one of the biggest juried outdoor art shows in the country by artist count. The first show was held in 1957.
Year established: 1957
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Estimated attendees: 250,000
Estimated exhibitors: 600
8. Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival
The Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival fills the streets of downtown Fairhope with artwork and handmade products from artists around the country. Shoppers can find pottery, paintings, jewelry, photography, sculpture, woodwork, textiles, and other crafts. The coastal Alabama festival began in 1953 and has become one of the largest arts and crafts events in the Southeast.
Year established: 1953
Location: Fairhope, Alabama
Estimated attendees: 250,000
Estimated vendors: 225
9. Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival
The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is a highly competitive juried show held around Central Park and Park Avenue. More than 1,000 artists regularly apply for a limited number of exhibitor spaces. The festival includes painting, photography, ceramics, jewelry, fiber, wood, glass, metal, sculpture, and mixed media. It first took place in 1960.
Year established: 1960
Location: Winter Park, Florida
Estimated attendees: 250,000
Estimated exhibitors: 215
10. Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show
The Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show places artists directly along the Virginia Beach oceanfront. The event grew out of a local art sale held in 1952, with the first formal outdoor Boardwalk Art Show following in 1956. It is now one of the longest-running outdoor art shows on the East Coast and one of the few major art fairs produced by an accredited art museum.
Year established: 1952
Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Estimated attendees: 250,000
Estimated exhibitors: 275
11. Edina Art Fair
The Edina Art Fair is held in the 50th & France shopping district near the border of Edina and Minneapolis. The streets are closed to traffic and filled with juried artists, food, entertainment, and shopping. The event began as a book and craft fair in 1966 and is now considered the longest-running major art fair in Minnesota.
Year established: 1966
Location: Edina, Minnesota
Estimated attendees: 250,000
Estimated vendors: 250
12. Plaza Art Fair
The Plaza Art Fair is held in Kansas City's Country Club Plaza shopping district. Hundreds of artists display their work while nearby restaurants operate outdoor booths and live musicians perform throughout the weekend. The fair began in 1932 as a small art exhibition and has developed into one of the Midwest's largest annual art events.
Year established: 1932
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Estimated attendees: 250,000
Estimated vendors: 240
13. Tempe Festival of the Arts
The Tempe Festival of the Arts is held along Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe. Unlike many fairs on this list, Tempe generally hosts separate spring and fall editions. Each event features artists working in painting, jewelry, ceramics, sculpture, photography, wood, glass, fiber, leather, and other media. The festival dates back to 1968.
Year established: 1968
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Estimated attendees: 225,000
Estimated exhibitors: 350
14. Art Fair on the Square
Art Fair on the Square surrounds the Wisconsin State Capitol in downtown Madison. The event is organized by the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and features hundreds of artists from around the country. Visitors can browse fine art and handmade work while enjoying food, music, demonstrations, and views of the Capitol. The first fair was held in 1959.
Year established: 1959
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Estimated attendees: 200,000
Estimated exhibitors: 450
15. Wyandotte Street Art Fair
The Wyandotte Street Art Fair fills several blocks of downtown Wyandotte near the Detroit River. It was first organized in 1961 as a way to draw attention to downtown businesses and local artists. Today, it features hundreds of artists, food vendors, entertainment, and community activities.
Year established: 1961
Location: Wyandotte, Michigan
Estimated attendees: 200,000
Estimated vendors: 300
16. Atlanta Dogwood Festival
The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is held each spring in Piedmont Park when Atlanta's dogwood trees are in bloom. Its large artist market includes paintings, photography, jewelry, sculpture, ceramics, metalwork, glass, fiber, and mixed media.
Year established: 1936
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Estimated attendees: 200,000
Estimated exhibitors: 260
17. Yellow Daisy Festival
The Yellow Daisy Festival is one of the most craft-focused events on this list. Held at Stone Mountain Park, the festival brings together hundreds of artists and craftspeople selling handmade jewelry, pottery, clothing, home décor, woodwork, paintings, and other goods. The event started in 1968 and has grown into a major annual tradition in Georgia.
Year established: 1968
Location: Stone Mountain, Georgia
Estimated attendees: 200,000
Estimated exhibitors: 400
18. Des Moines Arts Festival
The Des Moines Arts Festival is held in Western Gateway Park in downtown Des Moines. The current version of the festival was established in 1998, although its roots can be traced to an earlier city arts event that began in 1958. The juried show features visual artists alongside live music, film, public art, food, and creative activities.
Year established: 1998
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Estimated attendees: 175,000
Estimated exhibitors: 190
19. War Eagle Fair
War Eagle Fair is a large craft fair held beside War Eagle Mill in northwest Arkansas. The rural setting and focus on handcrafted products give it a different atmosphere from the downtown street festivals on this list. Artists and craftspeople sell pottery, furniture, woodwork, clothing, jewelry, folk art, home decorations, and other handmade goods. The fair began in 1954.
Year established: 1954
Location: Hindsville, Arkansas
Estimated attendees: 170,000
Estimated vendors: 300
20. Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend
Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend brings artists and shoppers into downtown Bellevue for several connected arts events. Its history dates to 1947, when a small group of artists organized an outdoor fair that eventually became closely connected with the Bellevue Arts Museum. The modern event includes fine art, contemporary craft, demonstrations, food, and family programming.
Year established: 1947
Location: Bellevue, Washington
Estimated attendees: 150,000
Estimated exhibitors: 300
21. Cherry Creek Arts Festival
The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is a major juried event held in Denver's Cherry Creek neighborhood. It features artists working in ceramics, drawing, fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and wood. The festival also offers art demonstrations, live entertainment, food, and hands-on creative activities. It was established in 1991.
Year established: 1991
Location: Denver, Colorado
Estimated attendees: 150,000
Estimated exhibitors: 250
22. Mount Dora Arts Festival
The Mount Dora Arts Festival transforms the streets of downtown Mount Dora into a large outdoor gallery. The event attracts artists working in painting, sculpture, clay, jewelry, photography, glass, wood, fiber, and mixed media. Its setting among the city's shops, restaurants, and historic buildings has helped make it one of Florida's best-known art festivals.
Year established: 1975
Location: Mount Dora, Florida
Estimated attendees: 150,000
Estimated exhibitors: 300
23. Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is held throughout downtown State College and the Penn State campus. Its centerpiece is a large juried sidewalk sale featuring paintings, jewelry, ceramics, photography, woodwork, sculpture, fiber, glass, and other handmade work. The multi day festival also includes performances, children's activities, exhibitions, and community events.
Year established: 1967
Location: State College, Pennsylvania
Estimated attendees: 125,000
Estimated exhibitors: 300
24. Delray Affair
The Delray Affair stretches for several blocks through downtown Delray Beach. Nicknamed the "Greatest Show under the Sun," it features a broad mixture of fine art, traditional crafts, handmade products, and unusual gifts. The event began in 1962 as a successor to the community's earlier Gladiola Fair and Festival.
Year established: 1962
Location: Delray Beach, Florida
Estimated attendees: 110,000
Estimated vendors: 500
25. Santa Fe Indian Market
Santa Fe Indian Market is one of the largest and most important markets devoted to Native American art. Indigenous artists from across the United States and Canada sell jewelry, pottery, textiles, paintings, sculpture, baskets, beadwork, and other traditional and contemporary pieces. Established in 1922, the market has helped generations of Native artists reach collectors and the public.
Year established: 1922
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Estimated attendees: 100,000
Estimated exhibitors: 1,000
Whether it fills 30 city blocks in Ann Arbor or lines a single boardwalk in Virginia Beach, every fair on this list started small before growing into a destination event. If you're organizing your own art or craft fair, the same ingredients that built these events - a strong location, a juried roster of quality exhibitors, and programming that gives visitors a reason to come back year after year - are still what it takes to grow.