Carmel by the Sea Art Festival

May 17-19, 2024

Devendorf Park & adjacent Mission Street
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Admission is FREE, carmelartfestivalcalifornia.com

Carmel by the Sea, California --Carmel Art in the Park is a multi-event art festival held the weekend after Mother's Day Weekend. It features Quick Draw competition, Plein Air contest and Sculpture in Park. This fund-raising event to benefit local youth - arts programs, turned 30 in 2023. During this special 30th anniversary year, most painters are winners from past 1993-2022 Carmel Art Festivals. Event organizers Hella Rothwell & Ellen Wilson describe it as a reunion and a celebration.

• FRIDAY: 10 a.m. Festival opens. | 6-9 p.m. VIP official opening with live music. Sculptor Steven Whyte, who has been part of the festival since 2005 when he began organizing the "Sculpture in the Park" exhibitions, once again leads the popular live sculpting demonstration.
• SATURDAY: 9 a.m. | 11 a.m. music begins.
• SUNDAY:  9-11 a.m. Quick Draw | Open till 3 p.m. with live music, exhibits, paint demos, and more.  

Carmel Art Festival is designed to educate and inspire people of all ages about the visual arts. The Festival usually includes Quick Draw by the winning artists, Plein Air and Sculpture-in-the-Park events, as well as a Kids Art Day.

The Carmel Art Festival is a non-profit organization with donations from these events supporting local youth art programs. The Carmel Art Festival is always the weekend after Mother's Day weekend, but if you can't attend, absentee bidding allows you to still bid on paintings.

 

All official Festival events are held at Devendorf Park & adjacent Mission Street in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Admission is FREE. Information on individual Gallery Receptions & Demonstrations will be available at the CAF Information Tent in Devendorf Park.

 

Carmel Great Sandcastle Festival

Carmel City Beach
10th to 12 Avenue
Carmel by the Sea, CA
ci.carmel.ca.us
(831) 620-2020

Based on Jules Verne's 1870 novel, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the 60th annual Carmel Sandcastle Contest invites the public to compete in a one-day event with sand creations reflecting the theme some have seen in a Walt Disney film production. Captain Nemo, Nautilus underwater ship (submarine,) a sea monster, coral formations, sunken vessels from a battle, the Antarctic ice barrier, Atlantis and an iceberg are elements of the novel you may see in sand.

The City of Carmel and American Institute of Architects sponsor the event annually with reps on hand to officiate and judge the entries  around 12 p.m.

The City's published rules specify no use of power tools, paints, glue or artificial colorings, and no adult oriented themes in this family-friendly, all ages event. Sand sculptures must be made of natural materials found at the beach.

Other sandcastle festivals in fall include Ocean Beach in San Francisco, Corona del Mar in Orange County,

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.