Art Fairs in the Twin Cities: A Guide for Artists and Visitors — 2026
Minneapolis and St. Paul are home to one of the most active art fair scenes in the Midwest. The Twin Cities arts community is nationally recognized, and the summer and fall calendar reflects it — from large juried fairs drawing hundreds of artists from across the country to neighborhood events with a local, community-centered feel.
Whether you’re an artist preparing for your next show or a collector looking for a weekend spent with original work, this list covers the full 2026 season — June through November, across Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the wider metro area including Stillwater, Lakeville, Red Wing, and Hudson, WI. Professionally photographed artwork is an advantage at both ends: it matters for jury submissions, and it matters for the prints you sell at your booth.
List of 2026 Art Fairs in the Twin Cities
Below is a curated, chronological list of art fairs in the Twin Cities and surrounding region. These events feature original work in painting, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, photography, fiber, glass, and mixed media. If you know of a fair that belongs here, send it my way — I keep this list current through the season.
Selling prints at art fairs? Several of my clients do exactly that. I provide print-ready files optimized for giclée printing, booth banners, greeting cards, and other uses — with color accuracy that holds up in reproduction. A few of them:
- Leanne Hanson
- Matthew Rucker
- Dyan Padget
- Victoria Helen
- Kevin Komadina
- Carol Weissenborn
- Adam Turner
Book a session now and have print-ready files before your next fair.
Summer Art Fairs — Twin Cities 2026
Stone Arch Bridge Festival
Dates: June 20–21, 2026
Location: West River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN
The festival continues despite the Stone Arch Bridge closure, with more than 200 juried artists and culinary vendors along the Minneapolis riverfront. A wide range of media — painting, ceramics, jewelry, photography — against one of the best urban backdrops in the city. Stone Arch Bridge Festival website
Eagan Art Festival
Dates: June 20–21, 2026
Location: Eagan Central Park, Eagan, MN
Over 80 artists across all media at Eagan Central Park, with food vendors and live art demos throughout the weekend. A well-organized, approachable fair for first-time visitors and established collectors alike. Eagan Art Festival website
Wayzata Art Experience
Dates: June 27–28, 2026
Location: East Lake Street, Wayzata, MN
Two days of fine art, food, and music along the Lake Minnetonka shoreline. The event combines a juried fine art market with an artisan food vendors section, food trucks, kids’ activities, and live entertainment — a full weekend outing with a distinctive lakeside setting. Wayzata Art Experience website
Art at St. Kate’s
Date: July 11, 2026
Location: St. Catherine University, St. Paul, MN
Over 100 juried artists on the campus of St. Catherine University. One of the more focused fine art experiences in the metro — a quieter atmosphere and well-curated selection make this an easy afternoon for serious buyers. Art at St. Kate’s website
Minnehaha Falls Art Fair
Dates: July 17–19, 2026
Location: Minnehaha Falls Park, Minneapolis, MN
Four days of local art, live entertainment, and food vendors in one of Minneapolis’s most scenic parks, steps from the falls. The longer run gives you more time to plan a visit without the weekend crowds. Minnehaha Falls Art Fair website
Loring Park Art Festival
Dates: July 25–26, 2026
Location: Loring Park, Minneapolis, MN
Over 140 visual artists set up around Loring Park’s gardens and pond, with live music and stage performances throughout both days. A centrally located fair with a consistently strong roster and a pleasant park setting. Loring Park Art Festival website
Powderhorn Art Fair
Dates: August 1–2, 2026
Location: Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis, MN
A juried art fair featuring 200+ artists in Powderhorn Park, South Minneapolis — one of the larger community-rooted fairs in the city. Expect 18 food trucks, live music, and a genuinely neighborhood feel. Free admission. Powderhorn Art Fair website
Uptown Art Fair
Dates: August 7–9, 2026
Location: Lake of the Isles Parkway & The Mall, Minneapolis, MN
New site this year, along Lake of the Isles Parkway just west of the Uptown business district. Approximately 300 juried artists from 40+ states, with live entertainment and family programming through the weekend. Proceeds support neighborhood reinvestment. Uptown Art Fair website
Art in the Garden — Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Dates: August 14–16, 2026
Location: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, MN
The Arboretum’s annual outdoor art and craft showcase features 70+ local vendors — fine art, crafts, and culinary — set among the gardens. Live music Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m., with food and beer and wine from the Rootstock pop-up kitchen. Included with general Arboretum admission ($20–25 for non-members; free for members and ages 15 and under). A distinctive setting with no close equivalent on the metro fair calendar. Art in the Garden website
Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition
Dates: August 27–September 7, 2026
Location: Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul, MN
The juried Fine Arts Exhibition showcases work by Minnesota artists across painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media — running the full 11 days of the State Fair. One of the few places to see competition-level Minnesota work alongside 1.7 million other fair visitors. Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition website
Fall Art Fairs — Twin Cities and Surrounding Area 2026
The fall season extends the art fair calendar through October, with events in Edina, St. Louis Park, Lakeville, Stillwater, Hudson WI, and Red Wing. Several of these are among the more underattended fairs in the region — worth putting on the calendar if you’re looking for a less crowded day with serious art.
Fall Into the Arts Festival
Dates: September 12–13, 2026
Location: Centennial Lakes Park, Edina, MN
A two-day fall fair at the scenic Centennial Lakes Park in Edina, featuring local artists, live music, and food vendors in a well-landscaped park setting along the water. Free admission. Fall Into the Arts Festival website
St. Louis Park Art Fair
Date: September 19, 2026
Location: Recreation Outdoor Center (ROC), St. Louis Park, MN
The 8th Annual SLP Art Fair brings 90+ local artists and makers to the Recreation Outdoor Center. A one-day community-focused fair with food trucks, live music, art demos, and family activities — free to attend and easy to reach from Minneapolis. St. Louis Park Art Fair website
Lakeville Art Festival
Dates: September 19–20, 2026
Location: Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holyoke Ave, Lakeville, MN
Now in its 23rd year, this free juried festival features 100+ artists on the park-like grounds of the Lakeville Area Arts Center. Media includes ceramics, painting, fiber, glass, jewelry, photography, printmaking, and more. The circular arrangement of booths makes the layout easy to navigate. Beer and wine tent on Saturday, kids’ art area all weekend. Lakeville Art Festival website
Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival
Dates: September 26–27, 2026
Location: Lakefront Park, Hudson, WI
Eighty-plus juried artists at Lakefront Park in Hudson, Wisconsin — 30 minutes east of St. Paul across the St. Croix River. Free admission. Organized by the Phipps Center for the Arts in partnership with the Hudson Chamber of Commerce, this is a full day: fine art, artist demos, live music, and food on the riverbank. Pairs well with a walk through Hudson’s downtown. Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival
Rivertown Fall Art Festival
Dates: October 3–4, 2026
Location: Lowell Park, Downtown Stillwater, MN
Now in its 49th year, this juried fair draws 10,000+ visitors to Lowell Park along the St. Croix River in historic downtown Stillwater. Features up to 200 artisans in ceramics, painting, jewelry, glass, fiber, photography, and more. The fall timing — peak color in the St. Croix River Valley — makes this one of the better backdrops for an outdoor art fair in the state. Beer and wine tent, food vendors, and live entertainment both days. Rivertown Fall Art Festival website
Red Wing Arts Fall Festival
Dates: October 10–11, 2026
Location: Downtown Red Wing, MN
Now in its 60th year, this juried two-day festival draws 120 regional artists to historic downtown Red Wing, about 50 miles southeast of the metro along the Mississippi River. Media includes painting, ceramics, fiber, jewelry, glass, photography, printmaking, and more. Live music at Central Park all weekend, along with artist demonstrations and food vendors. A good reason to make the drive. Red Wing Arts Fall Festival website
Savage Area Arts Festival
Date: October 11, 2026
Location: Community Park, 13500 Dakota Avenue, Savage, MN
A one-day community art fair in Savage’s Community Park featuring local painters, jewelers, ceramicists, fiber artists, and other makers. Free admission, family-friendly, and a good example of the smaller fairs that run alongside the bigger fall events. Savage Area Arts Festival website
Late Fall 2026
NEMAA’s Art-Attack
Dates: November 13–15, 2026
Location: Northeast Minneapolis, MN
NEMAA’s annual fall open studio event features over 1,600 artists across 100+ locations throughout Northeast Minneapolis — studios, galleries, and local businesses all participate over three days. The nation’s largest event of its kind. An unusual format: instead of coming to the art, you go to the artists’ working studios and home galleries. NEMAA Art-Attack website
Featured painting on this article: “A Distant Galaxy” by Kevin Komadina