One of the largest, most competitive fine arts festivals in the United States will celebrate its 35th anniversary when it returns to Cherry Creek North in Denver July 3-5, 2026. The 2026 Cherry Creek Arts Festival, the signature event of year-round art advocates CherryArts and repeat winner of the Gold Grand Pinnacle Award for best festival, is free and open to the public:
Friday, July 3: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; accessibility hour from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, July 4: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 5: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
“Over the past 35 years, we’ve grown the Cherry Creek Arts Festival into one of Colorado’s largest and most beloved annual art events,” said Tara Brickell, executive director of CherryArts. “We’re thrilled we’ve reached this milestone, all in service of bringing art experiences to Coloradans all year long, especially in Colorado schools.”
Denver7 is a proud partner of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival.
Highlights of the 2026 festival include:
265 National and International Juried ArtistsSelected from 1,983 applicants, this year’s artists include 37 from Colorado, four from countries outside the United States, and 80 who are exhibiting at the festival for the first time, all in 13 different mediums.
Five New Emerging Artists
For the third year, CherryArts awarded five emerging artists a $5,000 Emerging Artist grant of unrestricted funds to support their work, along with a mentor program and a booth at the festival.
Free Live Music All Weekend
Thirteen acts will perform over three days at the Canvas Credit Union Main Stage on Fillmore near 1st Ave., including Mary Louise Lee Band, The Reminders, and Chris Daniel and the Kings.
Free Art Activities for Children at Creation Station
Creation Station offers free, family friendly art activities each day of the festival inspired by the CO150 theme, a large-scale collaborative mural, and daily cultural performances.
The Return of Student Art Buying
Each year, CherryArts gives $500 to dozens of Colorado students to purchase original works of art for permanent display in their schools. This art-buying experience is the culmination of an in-school art curriculum that teaches art appreciation and the business of art.
Live Painting by Artist Anna Charney
Denver artist Anna Charney will create a new mural during the festival that incorporates community participation on Opening Night, abstract pattern work, and subtle references to Colorado’s natural landscapes. After its festival debut, the portable installation will inspire audiences through future CherryArts events and education programming across Colorado.
CherryArts Art Kits
For every Art Kit sold at the festival or online, CherryArts donates one kit to a school in need. Kits in drawing, mixed media and watercolor include ready-to-use art experiences for students of all ages.
The Annual CherryArts Art Auction
Launching on Monday, June 29, and continuing through the festival, the annual art auction features donated work from 90 festival artists, with proceeds benefiting arts education in Colorado.
Opening Night on Thursday, July 2
Opening Night guests enjoy an intimate preview of a block of artists, live entertainment, hors d’oeuvres, and drinks at the opening night festivities from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $115 and support CherryArts’ mobile education program.
The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is produced by CherryArts, a Denver-based nonprofit dedicated to the beliefs that access to art is for everyone and that artists are essential. CherryArts supports artists and arts education through interactive programming at the annual festival and year-round throughout Colorado. Last year, CherryArts directly served more than 40,000 students with mobile outreach programs designed to spark creativity and empower the next generation through arts education.
The commemorative poster for this year’s festival features Well Wishes and Dirty Dishes by Atlanta-based mixed media artist Bennett, who envisions “a world where we are always willing to make a bigger table rather than excluding others.” Bennett will be in booth 262 on Detroit Street during the festival. The poster is available here.
This article was paid for through an in-kind partnership.
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