BUY A BANDANA.WEAR IT ALL WEEK.SHOW YOUR SUPPORT. Tie one on for the Arts! Wear your bandana throughout the week to show your support for the Festival and help fund future artist demonstrations, public programming, and arts initiatives throughout the […]
Our roster of artists will split up for May 14 & 15, with half of the roster remaining in New Bern - Craven County and the other half in Beaufort....attending each day ensures you have a chance to see all […]
Festival Headquarters and Main Exhibition GalleryHistoric New Bern Farmers Market 421 S Front Street, New Bern, NC(Less than two blocks from Tryon Palace) The NC Plein Air Art Festival Exhibition and Sales Gallery is centrally located at Historic New Bern’s […]
Watch Art Happen — Live! Oleg Shvets creates an original work of art live and in full view. Bring a hat, sunscreen, and a lawn chair, and enjoy a front-row seat as the artwork comes to life from start to […]
Watch Art Happen — Live! Adam Houston creates an original work of art live and in full view. Bring a hat, sunscreen, and a lawn chair, and enjoy a front-row seat as the artwork comes to life from start to […]
🎨 Gallery Talk – Paths to Painting: Artists & Their Journeys Event: Gallery Talk / Storytelling SessionDate: Friday, May 15, 2026Location: New Bern, North CarolinaVenue: Festival Gallery / Exhibition Space Featured Artists: M.T. McClanahan Katie Dobson-Cundiff Durre Waseem Pearl Horng […]
Watch Art Happen — Live! Jim Rehak creates an original work of art live and in full view. Bring a hat, sunscreen, and a lawn chair, and enjoy a front-row seat as the artwork comes to life from start to […]
Watch Art Happen — Live! Pearl Horng creates an original work of art live and in full view. Bring a hat, sunscreen, and a lawn chair, and enjoy a front-row seat as the artwork comes to life from start to […]
GALLERY CLOSED FOR JUDGING- 3:00 PM-6:00 PM (Ticketed Reception 5 PM-6:00 PM - -REOPENS TO PUBLIC 6:00 PM Festival headquarters, and the NC Plein Air Art Festival Exhibition and Sales Gallery will be based at Historic New Bern’s Farmers Market, […]
Youth Plein Air Workshop In partnership with Art House Art Studio Sponsored by Seeds of Art nonprofit All sessions are now full. If you would like to waitlist your student in either of the sessions, click here to access […]
🎨 VIP Passport Competition Preview An Exclusive First Look at 40+ Newly Revealed Works Saturday, May 16 • 5:00–6:00 PM The anticipation builds all week — and on Saturday afternoon, everything changes. Just hours before the preview begins, the artists […]
Saturday, May 16 • 6:00–8:00 PMOpen to the Public At 6:00 PM, the doors open wide — and the decisive moment arrives. Just hours earlier, artists stood in the gallery making final adjustments — refining placements, reconsidering sightlines, and preparing […]
Seeing Light Before You Paint May 17, 18, 19, 2026 This watercolor workshop is designed to give participants more than technical instruction—it provides multiple ways of thinking, seeing, and problem-solving that can be directly applied to capturing light in watercolor […]
Online Pre-registration will open January 20, 2026 $15.00 Open Adult (18+) FREE Youth Category (ages 10-17) 2026 Plein Air New Bern Quick Paint Event Agenda The North Carolina Plein Air Art Festival is pleased to host its 2025 Quick Paint […]
Festival Headquarters and Main Exhibition GalleryHistoric New Bern Farmers Market 421 S Front Street, New Bern, NC(Less than two blocks from Tryon Palace) The NC Plein Air Art Festival Exhibition and Sales Gallery is centrally located at Historic New Bern’s […]
Locate artists in the field with the En Plein Air Artists locator app - Free download in both Google Play Store and Apple Apps. Grab your hat, sunscreen, (or umbrella) along with a lawn chair, and join us in […]