Sidewalk Arts Festival 2026

We are looking forward to hosting the Sidewalk Arts Festival on Saturday, September 12, 2026, and we hope you will join us!  

The Sidewalk Arts Festival is a FREE outdoor event with more than 250 vendor booths featuring the region’s best fine art, folk art and craft artisans. Enjoy activities for kids, live entertainment, food vendors and more on the streets surrounding the Washington Pavilion! This festival is a fundraiser for the Washington Pavilion and the region’s largest one-day arts and crafts festival.

Sidewalk Arts Festival – Saturday, September 12, 2026
Downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota

WELCOME!
The Sidewalk Arts Festival is a free community arts event where people can shop, eat, and enjoy music. The Children’s Studio features fun activities for kids and their families. Our Festival is designed to attract a variety of quality fine art and handmade crafts selected by a jury panel to promote artists and their work. The proceeds support the Washington Pavilion's mission to deliver memorable experiences that entertain, educate and enrich by inspiring lifelong discovery and inclusive experiences that improve the quality of life for everyone. 

FUN FESTIVAL FACTS

• More than 40,000 shoppers each year
• Free entrance for shoppers
• Live entertainment throughout the festival
• Large Food Court
• Friendly staff and great vendor hospitality
• Located in historic downtown Sioux Falls
• Wide variety of vendors

COMMENTS FROM ARTIST EVALUATIONS:

• I love the diversity - so many unique and talented people that have booths. I also appreciate how smoothly it is run - always feels very well organized and just an overall great event! One of my favorites by far!
• Attendance at this event is fabulous – it is well-known in the area!
• I love that it's free and one day. My customers love coming to it.
• The event has a history of quality vendors, courteous staff, and being family friendly.
• Organization! In comparison to other large shows or festivals we have attended, the Sidewalk Arts Festival is NUMBER ONE for organization, knowledgeable volunteers and courtesy to vendors. We can't stress that enough.
• It’s always a fun packed day and I have repeat buyers who always come back. The location is great and I love the atmosphere. A well organized festival.
• It's a great turnout. For some, it's a destination event. That speaks highly of the history of the show and the artist selection. I have clients that return each year, but always new ones, too.
• This festival is one of my most favorites for many reasons, one of which is the organization and communication from you guys. It's seamless.
• Such a good show! Great value for the cost of a booth, I greatly appreciate it!
• I love this festival, it's my favorite of the year! It's so well organized and I feel like you care about us as artists and not just vendors to fill space.
• I absolutely love being able to show at the Sidewalk Arts Festival! The festival is one of the best-run festivals I set up at. The crowd is fantastic, with many people buying, not just looking. Sioux Falls has really become an 'artsy' place to be!
• We love how long the festival has been going on and all of its wonderful patrons. It is so well organized. 

 

LOCATION
Downtown Sioux Falls: on the streets surrounding the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science. Enjoy art, food, and entertainment in the heart of the city.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Show Date: Saturday, September  12, 2026
Show Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
ZAPPlication Online Application Process Opens: February 9, 2026
Application deadline (ZAPP online application): 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time, June 12, 2026
Requirements:
• 3 photos of art/craft
• 1 booth photo
• No buy-sell allowed - must be hand-crafted/designed

INVITATION TO EXHIBIT/BOOTH FEES
Artists will be notified of jury results via email by mid-July. Results will not be given over the phone or sent in the mail. An artist who is selected by the jury and accepts the invitation to exhibit must MAIL their fees (booth, electricity, etc.) by July 27, 2026. Failure to respond by the deadline may result in forfeiture of booth space. Booth assignments will be sent in early August, and additional vendor info will be available in mid-August.

ELECTRICITY
Electricity is available on a first-come, first-served basis and is limited to booth spaces around the perimeter of the Washington Pavilion. Electricity must be ordered in advance and is $55. Triplexes each provide 110 volts 15 amps total (to be shared between three vendors). You are responsible for bringing your own extension cord - it must be 3-pronged, 12 gauge and long enough to reach your power source (we recommend 100 ft.).

JURY PROCESS

• The jury will review each artist’s set of images.
• The artist statement and image descriptions provided on the application will be made available to the jury.
• Jury members score each artist on a scale of 1-5. The top score being 5 and the lowest score being 1.
• Decisions of the jury panel are final.

The jury will use the following standards to guide their decisions in accepting artists:

• Work is original and made by hand
• Work is well-designed/composed
• Works shows creativity and originality of design
• Work is well-conceived, expertly executed without technical faults

Points are awarded based on originality of work shown, salability, and a desire to keep the media in the show balanced. The artist's statement, price range, process, materials used and dimensions will be available to the jury panel to aid in the scoring process. The Sidewalk Arts Festival committee will notify all applicants whether accepted, rejected or on the waiting list.

IMAGES FOR JURY
Please submit four (4) images. Three of the images must be of individual pieces of work, and one image must be of your current display booth. Images must portray work that is current, original and representative of the work you will display and sell on site at the Festival.

If a booth image is not available, please submit an image taken of a grouping of works representative of the works to be exhibited at the show. The purpose of the booth image is to ensure the artist has a complete body of work, which is represented both in the first three images and also within the fourth image. It also helps identify the scale of the artist's work.

Because this is a blind jury process, please avoid submitting booth images with any identifiable signage or a photo of artist themselves.

FINE ART AWARDS
1. BEST in SHOW – $500
2. BEST in SHOW – Two-Dimensional - $250
3. BEST in SHOW – Three-Dimensional - $250
The giving of the awards will be based upon the artistic merit of the artwork. The prizes will be awarded at the sole discretion of the juror(s).

*Entry into the Sidewalk Arts Festival Fine Art Competition is restricted to artists whose booths are registered under the Fine Art section only. No photocopies, off-set lithographic reproductions, or giclee reproductions will be considered. No ceramics made from molds will be judged. No artworks produced from kits will be judged. Original artworks are defined for the purposes of this judging as drawings, paintings, sculptures, ceramics, glass, photographs, original handmade prints (such as etchings, engravings, serigraphs, lithographs, etc.), and original fiber art, as well as other forms of mixed media work that would be considered Fine Art.

SALES TAX
Each artist is responsible for collecting and paying South Dakota sales tax (7.7% for arts/crafts for this event). Tax forms will be provided before and at the festival. It is the responsibility of each artist to return payment to the South Dakota Tax Revenue Service.

HOW TO UPLOAD IMAGES - https://www.zapplication.org/help-center.php?page=image-preparation

​MEDIA DESCRIPTIONS
CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY
All cancellations must be made on or before August 10, 2026. Any accepted artist who withdraws from the show before August 10 will be entitled to a refund, less a $50 cancellation fee.

Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Sidewalk Arts Festival. We look forward to reviewing your application!

CONTACT INFORMATION
Telephone number: 605.731.2377
Email: sidewalkarts@washingtonpavilion.org

Mailing Address:
Washington Pavilion - SWAF
301 S. Main Ave.
Sioux Falls, SD 57104

The following policies and regulations have been established by the Sidewalk Arts Festival to ensure quality and integrity of process, presentation and patron experience:

1. All work must be the original work of the accepted artist. If your work includes trademarked characters or logos, make sure you have the proper licensing to produce and sell these items.
2. All work displayed must be for sale.
3. We strongly encourage the accepted artist to be present during the day of the show.
4. Collaborations/partnerships are permitted; however, both artists must submit a separate jury/application fee. Please list both names on each application.
5. Exhibitors are responsible for the proper insurance of their artwork and display. By submitting this application, you agree that neither the Sidewalk Arts Festival, the Washington Pavilion, the City of Sioux Falls, nor Downtown Sioux Falls Inc. will be responsible for damage or injuries to or resulting from your work, products, or display.
6. By submitting this application you certify that
   (i) your work does not violate the copyright, trademark rights or other rights of any party, and
   (ii) you have all licenses or permissions necessary to make and sell the work
7. All booths must be accessible, professional, clean, family-friendly and safe for customers.
8. No displays can be set outside front of booth or in walkway.
9. The Sidewalk Arts Festival is not open to manufacturers. Artisans may not sell manufactured or imported goods as separate items. “Buy-sell” items are strictly prohibited. Any violation may result in expulsion from the Festival with no refund.
10. If you are demonstrating your craft or talent in your booth, we reserve the right to control the volume; you must remain in your booth.
11. It is the artist’s sole responsibility to identify the category and the bodies of work for which they would like to be juried.
12. All artists are expected to comply with all regulations and respect artistry standards. The Sidewalk Arts Festival reserves the right and responsibility to ensure compliance of all regulations. This is not limited to refusal of any work to be exhibited that is not consistent with images submitted and work accepted for display by the jury. Failure to comply and cooperate with Festival officials will result in the exhibitor’s removal from the show with no refund, and the exhibitor’s right to exhibit in future shows may be refused.

FEES - Once accepted, you will receive information on payment of fees. 

To be paid upfront through ZAPPlication:

• $30 Non-refundable application fee
• $50 Late fee if application submitted after May 29, 2026

To be submitted after official acceptance into festival:

• Craft & Folk Art Booth fee 
  • $260 one booth
  • $500 two booths
  • $740 three booths 
• Fine Art Booth fee 
  • $235 one booth
  • $450 two booths
  • $665 three booths
  • We reserve the right to determine the appropriate general category. If you register as a fine art vendor but we deem you as a craft vendor, you will owe the difference in booth fees.
• $55 Electricity fee (if needed) – must be submitted with the booth fee, will be refunded if a location with electricity cannot be provided.
• $15 Vendor Lunch (optional) – Catered by The WP; we will deliver to your booth

To be mailed after booth assignments are sent:

• $30 Corner Booth fee – for corner spaces or booth locations with additional exposure or sides to sell from (if requested and assigned) – Payment to be sent following booth assignment notification

Following the festival:

• $50 Garbage Fine – Charged to vendors if garbage is left

BOOTH SPACE

• Each booth equals a 12’x12’ space (approx.).
• All vendors must occupy only the amount of space they indicate on the application. If you exceed this space, you will be required to purchase another booth, if available. All booth exhibitors must confine doing business to their assigned space. Because of fire code regulations, you may not extend your booth display out into the street. Walking concessions or exhibits are also not allowed. The sale, posting, or distribution of any merchandise, products, promotional items, printed or written material except from the assigned fixed location is prohibited. Failure to comply will result in immediate forfeiture of all booth/exhibitor privileges without reimbursement.
• Booths are assigned in advance of the Festival and restricted to the juried artist(s) and their work.
• Corner booth spaces are located at the end of a row and allow vendors to sell from one additional side as well as extending booth display up to two feet in width on the open side.
• Location requests are not guaranteed but will be considered.
• Artists must provide all display materials, including protection from sun, wind and rain.
• The event takes place on a paved surface, which does not allow for anchoring of any supports into the ground. Structures should be built to withstand strong gusts of winds and crowds. Please bring an adequate amount of weight to secure your tent/canopy in case of windy weather.
• Wi-Fi is not available.

BOOTH SET-UP

• Set-up may take place beginning at 2 a.m. on the morning of the festival.
• For a limited time frame, loading vehicles may drive up to the booth space to unload.
  • Unload, park, then finish set-up
• All vehicles must be off the streets by 7 a.m.

BOOTH TEAR-DOWN

• Tear-down may not begin until 5 p.m. when the festival ends.
• For a limited time frame, loading vehicles may drive up to the booth space to load up products beginning at 5:15 p.m. to allow crowds to clear. 
• Garbage Fine: A $50 fine will be charged to any vendor who leaves garbage behind following the festival. Failure to comply may prevent vendors from future participation in the Festival.

CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY
All cancellations must be made on or before August 10, 2026. Any accepted artist who withdraws from the show before August 10 will be entitled to a refund, less a $50 cancellation fee.

No refunds or rain checks will be issued due to inclement weather or other acts of nature.