FOR ARTISTS

Artists are invited to submit applications for the 2026 Riverside Arts Weekend event – a juried, fine arts festival held in the heart of the historic landmark community of Riverside, Illinois.

The application opens on January 9.

Early bird deadline for priority selection is February 15.

Additional key dates and additional information is listed below.

Apply here

What We Offer

Unique Setting

Riverside Arts Weekend is held annually in Guthrie Park - the "front lawn" of beautiful Riverside, Illinois. Our unique setting allows visitors and artists to enjoy the natural beauty of this National Historic Landmark village.

Free visitor admission

Riverside Arts Weekend is always a free event. As a non-profit, we believe this serves our mission to educate, inspire, and excite our visitors with art and spectacle by making art accessible to all.

Booth-sitting by our volunteers

For our artists, we offer complimentary booth sitting by our dedicated volunteers, allowing you to grab a bite to eat or take a much-needed break.

Complimentary coffee & snacks for artists

We make complimentary coffee, water and snacks available to all artists. Volunteers typically come by with water and coffee, and we make a separate artists area available to grab breakfast and lunch.

Convenient parking

With the full support of the Village of Riverside and our local business, we have a number of parking lots available for both artists and visitors.

Easy access to Metra

Riverside is an easy stop on the BNSF Metra line and our location is just steps away from the Riverside Train Station - allowing easy access to the fair from both the city and suburbs.

Food vendors

We work with hard to bring a variety of food and beverage offerings to the fair, allowing visitors to enjoy a picnic atmosphere while listening to our talented musicians.

Overnight security

We hire an outside security company to patrol the area at night, allowing you piece of mind for your overnight stay. Additionally the fair is just steps away from Riverside's police station.

Key Dates & Information

January 9, 2026: Application Opens

February 15, 2026: Early bird submissions are due for priority selection.

March 1, 2026: Notification for early bird submissions. Payments are due 30 days after acceptance; payment plans are available.

February 15 - April 15, 2026: Submissions will be accepted as space allows with rolling notifications.

April 15, 2026: Deadline to submit prior to vendor booth price increase.

May 15, 2026: Submission portal closes.

There is no fee to submit your application.

Booth Fees: $150 for 10'x10' space for both days ($175 after April 15)

Payment plans are available. Within the application you may also request to be a single day vendor, or request a double booth space.

For your convenience, you can read a copy of our Rules, Regulations and Terms of Agreement here.

Questions regarding the event and application process should be submitted to riversideartsweekend@yahoo.com.

"The support throughout the process was spectacular. It was well-organized, great communication and amazing volunteer help with booth sitting.

It all came together to make this a great weekend."

2025 Participating Artist