Castle Rock Artfest 2026

You are invited to apply to exhibit your original artwork at the Castle Rock Artfest. Located midway between Denver and Colorado Springs, Castle Rock offers artists and patrons a well-organized, quality show. Artfest is known among artists as one of the most charming locations for booth set-up and successful art sales. Approximately 14,000 attendees over 2 days will enjoy more than 110 artists from all over the country, continual live main stage entertainment, and a Children’s Imagination Zone in the quaint setting of downtown Castle Rock. This show is a blind juried exhibition of gallery quality fine arts and fine crafts. It is hosted by the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit business organization whose mission is to “Cultivate a thriving business community through engagement, collaboration, and advocacy.” Proceeds from Artfest go to support the Chamber’s business programming year-round.

2026 is a unique year for the USA and for Colorado as we celebrate the USA's 250th birthday and Colorado's 150th birthday. This year's Castle Rock Artfest will offer a USA 250 Colorado 150 Art Contest sponsored by the Aloha Fund. Artists are encouraged to create a single piece of art who's theme incorporates the 250/150 celebration. Themed pieces will be judged on Saturday 9/12/26, and a single winner will be chosen by the event judges. Additional contest information will be distributed to accepted artists immediately following the jurying process.
 

Castle Rock Artfest
Saturday, September 12th and Sunday, September 13th, 2026
Castle Rock, Colorado 80104


Date:   Saturday & Sunday, September 12 & 13, 2026
Location:  Castle Rock, Colorado – Perry Street & Festival Park
Web Address:  www.coloradoartfest.com
Email: Kevin@castlerock.org
Attendance:  Free admission, attracts 14,000 attendees over two days
Applications: Accepted only via ZAPP® System
Images: 3 images of work plus 1 booth display image is required
Application Fee: $60, non-refundable
Application Deadline: Friday, May 22, 2026
Multiple Applications:  Artists may submit up to 3 applications that are in different media categories, but may only particiapte in one category
Artist Agreement:  All Artists must read and agree to the rules and regulations of the event
Booth Fee:  $600 for single 10’ x 10’ booth space; A limited number of double booths, premium booths, and end booths are available
Sales Tax: Artists are responsible for Town of Castle Rock and State of Colorado sales taxes
Security:  Overnight security will be provided Friday and Saturday night.  A portion of the festival is adjacent to the police station
Load-in Access:  Direct from vehicle to booth on Friday September 11th, 2026. NO SATURDAY LOAD-IN WILL BE AVAILABLE

Application Requirements

• The event is open to artists who will sell their original art. Artists must be onsite for the entire festival.  The festival does not allow proxies, artist representative, etc. 
• Four (4) images must be submitted with your application.  Please see the application process below.
• Each application that is submitted must be accompanied by a $60 non-refundable application fee.
• Artists interesred in applying in more than one category may submit up to three (3) different applications. Only work in the media category in which the Artist is accepted may be exhibited at the festival, and only one media category per booth.

Artist Requirements
Artists must be present with their work for the entire 2 days of the Festival. Representatives may not attend the event in place of the artist. (Emergency situations will be handled as they arise.)
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Artist Reproduction Policy: 
All original artwork located within your booth must be hand produced by you, the artist. Reproductions must be hand produced or supervised by artist. Please contact the Castle Rock Artfest at (303) 688-4597 with any questions or to clarify requirements. The Castle Rock Artfest reserves the right to ask artists to remove artwork that does not adhere to this policy. Reproductions of an artist's one-of-a-kind original artwork may be exhibited subject to the following conditions:

All reproductions must be signed and numbered.

All reproductions whether framed or unframed, must be clearly and individually labeled "REPRODUCTION" or "LIMITED EDITION REPRODUCTION." This notice must appear on each item displayed.

All unframed reproductions must be displayed in browse bins. Framed reproductions may be displayed in browse bins and/or hung on the walls of the booth. However, one wall (at least 10 linear feet) MUST be hung with original work, NOT reproductions.

The Artfest standards committee will be visiting each booth and will strictly enforce this requirement. Original work needs to be in a separate location within the booth from limited edition reproduction work.

The Castle Rock Chamber reserves the right to remove from the show those items determined unsuitable for public display. This will be at the discretion of Artfest’s management team.

Important Dates
March 13, 2026 – Applications accepted
May 22, 2026 – Application Deadline
May 27, 2026 – Juror Meeting for Artist Selection
June 6, 2026 – Artist Invitation Email Notification
July 31, 2026 – Artist Acceptance Deadline and Booth Fee Payment Due
August 14, 2026 – Last day to cancel participation in 2025 show and still receive 90% refund
August 5, 2026 – Waitlist Artist Email Notification
 
If accepted:
Artist Info Packets will be emailed no later than August 24, 2026. The packet will include booth number and location, parking information, sales tax information, load in and setup details, and general event info.
 
Weekend Schedule
Artist Setup and Check In
Friday, September 11, 2026 – beginning at 6:30 a.m. unless other arrangements have been made.
            You will be assigned a specific load in time due to festival grounds restrictions; you MUST setup during this timeframe due to event permitting - NO EXCEPTIONS; you may not setup before or after this time.
 
Festival Hours
Saturday, September 12, 2026 – 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 13, 2026 – 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
 
Artist Booth Teardown
Sunday, September 13, 2026 – 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Tear down must be completed by this time as streets will be reopened.

Application Process

• Each application must be accompanied by a non-refundable $60 jury fee payment.
• Four images are to be submitted with application.
  • Three images must be of individual original pieces of work. The images should reflect the artwork that will be shown and sold at Artfest. Please remember the quality of your images is important and only one item should be shown in each image in order to show detail. Exhibitors are chosen by a jury committee. Submitting an application gives no assurance of selection by jury. Exhibitors will be chosen at the sole discretion of the jury- all jury decisions are final.
  • Image #4 must be of a display of the artist's work, showing overall continuity and presentation of your current body of work or past booth setup. 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 with the fourth image. The booth image should have no visible name, logo or insignia due to the blind jury process.
  • Images must accurately represent the body of the work to be displayed.
  • We strongly encourage artists to submit new images each year.

Awards
Awards will be presented to Best of Show, Best Fine Arts and Best Fine Crafts. Special recognition will be awarded to other outstanding artists, and the 250/150 contest winner.

Artist Amenities
Complimentary breakfast and lunch – Saturday and Sunday
Security
Free shuttle and parking
Listing on website and festival collateral
Social media promotion mention
 
Parking/Shuttle Information
Free parking is provided. Free shuttle service will be provided to the artists from parking to the Artfest site. Information will be included in the accepted artist’s information packet.
 
 Wait List
A wait list will be developed based on jury scores. Artists will be selected to be on the wait list in each of the categories. Artists on the wait list are notified via email of their acceptance.

Refunds
Cancellations received prior to August 14, 2026 will receive a 90% refund of booth fees. After August 14, 20206, no refunds will be made.

Exhibit Fee
Jury Fee - $60 each category, non-refundable
Single booth - $600
Corner booth (two open sides) - $800
Center Festival Single Booth - $850
Double Booth - $1000
Corner Double Booth $1200
Center Festival Double Booth - $1350

Reminders
If we can send information about Artfest to an artist you know, please contact us at kevin@castlerock.org.

The artist agrees to be personally present both days of the show if selected to participate. (Emergency situations will be handled as they arise.)

Exhibitors should bring someone with them if they feel they need assistance with set-up or tear-down. Artfest volunteers will not be available to help individual artists.
 
Exhibitors agree to abide by Artfest parking regulations. After unloading, vehicles must be moved to the designated vendor lot. Exhibitors who do not abide by parking regulations will be asked to leave the show; booth fees will not be refunded

Medium Categories

Ceramics: All original clay and porcelain work other than jewelry is accepted in this category. No machine-made or mass produced work is permitted. If multiple pieces of the same design are displayed each piece must be signed.

Computer generated/digital art/graphics: This category includes any original work for which the original image, or the manipulation of other source material, was executed by the artist using a computer. Work in this category must be in limited editions, signed and numbered on archival quality materials. Traditional photographs taken through a digital media should apply in the photography category.

Drawing/Pastels: Works created using dry media including chalk, charcoal, pastels, pencil, wax crayon, etc. or from the fluid medium of inks and washes applied by pen or brush are to be entered in this category.

Fiber: All work crafted from fibers including basketry, embroidery, weaving, leather work, tapestry, and paper making. No machine tooling, machine-screened patterns or other forms of mass production are permitted. No factory produced wearable items, regardless of additional modification or enhancement by the artist, may be exhibited.

Glass: Only hand-crafted glass work will be accepted. No forms of mass production are permitted.

Printmaking: Original works made with pen, pencil, charcoal or traditional printmaking. Prints hand pulled by artists from traditional methods, including etching, engraving, silkscreen, stone and plate lithography, linoleum block or woodcut, produced in signed and numbered limited editions from an original image created by the artist.

Jewelry: All jewelry whether the work is produced from metal, glass, clay, fiber, paper, plastic, or other materials must be entered in this category. No commercial casts, molds or production studio work is allowed.

Metalworks: Includes all non-sculptural, non-jewelry works crafted from metals. No production studio work is allowed.

Mixed media: This category includes works, both 2 and 3 dimensional, that incorporate more than one type of physical material to produce. Includes non-sculptural work as determined by the artist.

Painting, oil or acrylic: Works created in oils and acrylics are in this category. Creation of a still life, portrait, landscape, abstract or other image on a flat surface, such as canvas, with oil and/or acrylic paint or sticks. Reproductions of all kinds are prohibited.

Painting, watercolor: Works created in watercolor are in this category. Creation of a still life, portrait, landscape, abstract or other image on a flat surface with watercolors. Reproductions of all kinds are prohibited.

Photography: Photographic prints made from the artist's original image, which have been processed by that artist, or under his/her direct supervision, are included in this category. Photographs are required to disclose both their creative and printing processes.

Sculpture: Three-dimensional original work done in any medium.

Wood: Original works in wood that are hand-tooled, machine-worked, turned or carved are accepted in the wood category.

Exhibition Policies

• 10’x10’ spaces on pavement available; Artfest will take place on street pavement.
• No electricity will be provided.
• All displays, props, fixtures, etc., must be furnished by exhibitor. Attractive white tent or awning – fire-safe and with 40lb weights per leg – is required. Your booth will be inspected by the fire inspector and you will be required to make an necessary changes.
• Your tent must be white
• You will be assigned a specific load in time due to festival grounds restrictions; you MUST setup during this timeframe due to event permitting - NO EXCEPTIONS!
• Artists must setup and tear down in the designated time frame due to event permits and safety concerns.  
• Artists are responsible for securing all valuables, including all art.  While there is security, the event organizers are not responsible for theft, loss or damage to property or personal injury.
• Booth assignments will be made in advance by Artfest Event Manager. Artists requesting corner locations, end locations, double booths, etc. will be assigned spaces on a first come, first served basis. Please submit special requests (Handicap needs, booth number, etc...)  in writing and EMAILED to: kevin@castlerock.org.  All request will be considered and we will do our best to accommodate, if possible. 
• All exhibitors agree to be present for both days of the show (Emergency situations will be handled as they arise).
• Artwork displayed must be the original artwork of the exhibitor. No exceptions.
• The sale of books, cards, and other products, bearing the images of the artist’s work, must be signed by the artist and approved prior to set-up by the Show Manager
• Artists are expected to be professional and are not allowed to consume alcoholic beverages or drugs during festival hours. If any artist is reported to be under the influence, he/she will be asked to leave, no refunds will be given and no further invitations to exhibit will be extended

Exhibit Fee
Jury Fee - $60 each category, non-refundable
Single booth - $600
Corner booth (two open sides) - $800
Center Festival Single Booth - $850
Double Booth - $1000
Corner Double Booth (two open sides) $1200
Center Festival Double Booth - $1350

• Refund Policy: no refunds will be given after August 14, 2026
• Deadline for artists to accept invitation and purchase booth space is July 31, 2026.
• ALL payment MUST be made through Zapplication - NO Checks Accepted

Refunds
Cancellations received prior to August 14, 2026 a 90% refund of booth fees. After August 14, 2026, no refunds will be given.