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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
🎨 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 […]
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, […]
🎨 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 […]
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 […]
So you can't draw a stick figure? That's OK. There are no stick figures on the list of things to draw. Whether you are a beginner or more advanced, come with paper and pen/pencil in hand and get some tips […]
🎨 Gallery Talk – “How to Look at Art” Event: Gallery Walk & Interactive TalkDate: Thursday, May 14, 2026Location: New Bern, North CarolinaVenue: Festival Gallery / Exhibition Space/New Bern Farmer's Market Speaker: John T. Eiseman(Also leading a mentored plein air […]
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 […]
Festival Daily Lecture – “Tools of the Trade” 🖌️ What this lecture covers Portable easels and pochade boxes Paint choices (oil, watercolor, pastel, gouache) Field gear (panels, brushes, palettes) How artists manage light, weather, and mobility Real-world demo setups used […]
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 […]
So you can't draw a stick figure? That's OK. There are no stick figures on the list of things to draw. Whether you are a beginner or more advanced, come with paper and pen/pencil in hand and get some tips […]
🖼️ Festival Lecture – Living with Original Art Event: Daily Lecture PanelDate: Tuesday, May 12, 2026Location: New Bern, North CarolinaVenue: Festival Hub (Farmers Market area near Tryon Palace) Speakers: Cindy & James Polo Annette & Joe Hunt Janis & Stephen Dunn […]
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 […]
Paint alongside. Learn deeply. See differently. May 12, 13 & 14, 2026 With decades of experience as a professional artist and a distinguished history in plein air painting, award-winning painter John T. Eiseman offers a rare opportunity to engage in […]
Event: Opening Day Lecture / Q&ASpeaker: Festival Founder & 2026 Event Organizer, Kippy Hammond Festival: North Carolina Plein Air Art Festival 2026 Date: (First day of festival – May 11, 2026) Location: New Bern, North Carolina Venue: Festival Hub (Farmers […]
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 […]
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 […]