Suffolk Plein Air Festival

The City of Suffolk, Virginia is gearing up for the 6th Annual Suffolk Plein Air Festival, September 7-12, 2026.
The SPAF 2026 CASH AWARDS will be given for the Best In Show, $3,000, 2nd Place, $1,000, along with 3rd Place, $500. Additionally, there are monetary awards given for Best: Historic, Waterfront, Farmland, Rural, & Cityscape paintings.

2026 Suffolk Plein Air Festival Schedule of events:
Monday, September 7, 6-9 pm
– Artists check-in and enjoy a “Meet & Greet” with a casual reception for artists to meet each other and housing hosts to meet their house guests. Canvases will be stamped and all information will be handed out during this time. Please make arrangements if you cannot attend that evening, and we can set up a Tuesday morning in-processing for you.

September 8-10
Juried Plein Air Artists paint Suffolk Virginia’s historic downtown, pristine waterways, and rural farmlands.

Thursday, September 10
Plein Air Painting Workshop
Open registration for participants to explore the En Plein Air technique. Optional for juried artists, and open to the public. Workshop TBD

Thursday, September 10, 7-9pm
​Wet Paint Sale Artwork Drop off. Participating artists can drop off their pieces to be juried and sold the next evening for the Wet Paint Sale and Soiree. All artwork must be framed with hanging wire and ready to sell.

Friday, September 11, 8-noon
Artwork drop-off optional. It is imperative to drop off your pieces as early as possible.
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On Friday, September 11 from 6:00 – 9:30 PM, artists and patrons will gather at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts for the much-anticipated ‘Wet Paint Sale & Soiree’. Attendees will have the chance to meet the artists, view their new artwork and purchase an incredibly special piece of Suffolk themed artwork to adorn their home or business. ‘Wet Paint Sale & Soiree’ tickets include scrumptious food, an open bar, and live music.

On Saturday, September 12 from 11- 1 PM, in conjunction with Suffolk’s annual ‘Taste of Suffolk’ Downtown Street Festival, Youth, ages 10-17, and Adults of ALL abilities are invited to paint outside, ‘en plein air’, during the “PAINT the TASTE” event. This is a chance for novice to experienced painters to try their hand at plein air painting. The QuickDraw format is extremely exciting ~ the goal is to quickly produce an original piece of artwork in only 120 minutes! Prizes will be awarded, and “PAINT the TASTE” Artists are encouraged to sell their Suffolk Plein Air artwork to the interested crowds during the ‘Taste of Suffolk’.

The success of Suffolk Plein Air Festival is a tribute to the vision and collaboration of the Suffolk community. So many wonderful people have opened their homes to host some of our out-of-town artists for the week. Others have offered their properties as locations for the artists to paint. Generous business and patron sponsors stepped up to ensure the Arts are accessible for all, bringing together artists of all skill levels and ages – younger and older – providing rich experiences for the community at large.

For more information about the Suffolk Plein Air Festival 2026 Sponsorship, Events, or Volunteering, please contact Festival Coordinators at: suffolkpleinair@gmail.com.