For Our Artists
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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.
Key Dates:
January 9, 2026 - Application opens.
February 15, 2026 - Early bird deadline for priority selection.
April 15, 2026 - Deadline for the reduced booth cost.
Additional details are available below.
What Makes Us Extraordinary
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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In addition, in 2024 we began offering a free bike valet service to encourage biking to our event.
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.
Key Dates & Information
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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)
Within the application you may also request to be a single day vendor, or request a double booth space.
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For your convenience, you can read a copy of our Rules, Regulations and Terms of Agreement here.
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Questions regarding the event and application process should be submitted to riversideartsweekend@yahoo.com.