Three outdoor art festivals take place in Southwest Florida the weekend of March 1 & 2.
The Sarasota Festival of the Arts comes to JD Hamel Park March 1 & 2. This event will showcase the original works of 70 artisans and crafters from across Florida and the United States.
The 24th Annual Downtown Venice Art Classic sets up along West Venice Avenue. Surrounded by historic charm and natural beauty, it’s a delightful place to spend a day looking at innovative work from artists across the country.
Bonita Springs National Art Festival takes place in Riverside Park on Old 41 in historic downtown Bonita Springs three times each season. The weekend of March 1 and 2 will be the last chance this year to catch this large outdoor art festival, which trade journal Sunshine Artist Magazine says is one of the finest in the country.
2025 marks a milestone for Bonita Springs Nationals as the festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
So mark your calendars. There’s something for every taste and budget at these outdoor art fairs.
MORE INFORMATION:
Hours of operation for all three festivals are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
The Sarasota Festival of the Arts transforms Hamel Park into an outdoor gallery featuring spectacular paintings, sculptures, jewelry, photography, glass, ceramics, fiber and wearable art, mixed-media, metalwork, graphics, woodworking, and more. A diversity of styles, techniques and materials are on display.
The Venice Art Classic is one of organizer Howard Alan Events’ most popular shows.
While all other categories are represented, the Downtown Venice Art Classic does not include jewelry of any kind.
Because of the ambiance of Old Bonita Springs, the region’s gorgeous winter weather and the sophistication of the 20,000 + festival-goers who flock to Riverside Park, Bonita Springs National draws 200+ of the best artists from across the United States, Canada, South America and even Europe.
Proceeds from this festival stay in Bonita Springs and are used by Arts Bonita to support scholarships for emerging young artists and arts education programs benefiting underserved students in Title 1 schools. Last year, Arts Bonita distributed over $150,000 in scholarships, making a significant impact on arts education in the community.
“Our National Art Festivals play a dual role in serving our beloved community, first, by bringing the best of national and regional artists to the heart of Bonita Springs,” said Alyona Ushe, executive director of Arts Bonita. “And by raising crucial funds to provide opportunities for our youth to blossom.”
To help raise vital funds for its scholarship programs, Arts Bonita suggests a $10 donation from each person attending the festival.
On average, each festival involves:
- 378 volunteer hours on festival weekend.
- 500 phone calls to recruit volunteers for the festival.
- $1,000 spent on average by each artist in the show on hotels, travel and expenses to come to the festival.
- 1,700 e-mails (plus phone calls) from artists pertaining to the show.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.