This June, Gloucester is once again transformed into an artistic haven with the much-awaited Gloucester Arts Festival. Following the footsteps of last year’s success, 2024 promises an even more exhilarating blend of local charm and vibrant art experiences for all.
The festival kicks off May 31st with the Brews, Brine, & Wine event at Machicomico State Park, a picturesque setting that perfectly embodies Gloucester’s natural splendor – and it offers the first chance to meet 30 of the nation’s most accomplished Plein Air painters. The vibrant and exciting experience boasts Cappahosic Oyster Company’s prized bivalve oysters, and the Gloucester Brewing Company will launch its festival-special ale “Perennial Daze” while BarQ serves up exceptional barbeque. RaJazz, one of the region’s finest contemporary jazz bands, will entertain the crowd.
As the festival blooms into June, it brings a spectrum of events. The Paint Main event on June 1st is a lively affair. Artists dot Gloucester’s historic Main Street, rapidly capturing its essence in just over two hours. The palpable energy of this artistic race leads up to the Symphony Under the Stars concert by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, a seamless blend of classic and contemporary music under the night sky.
Each day unfolds new facets of the festival. June 4th’s partnership with the Bay School Community Arts Center allows for a day of art in Mathews, followed by a reception showcasing the day’s creations. Cocktails in the Garden returns to Goshen Farm, an estate on the Ware River with Sipping Southern and offers a stroll through the artists painting the exquisite gardens.
The festival continues with a captivating talk by Robert Johnson, sharing his journey from lawyer to master painter, and it offers a preview of his workshop to be held on June 8th at the Gloucester Institute, formerly known as the Moton Center.
The Plein Air Gala at the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester on June 8th offers the first opportunity to see the Heart of the River collection created by the Plein Air artists. This year’s gala offers new glamour with the theme “The Met in Your Backyard.” Here, the artists showcase their finest works, vying for top honors. The Heart of the River Gala installation will be at the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester through June 29th. It’s the first time the exhibition will be installed at the new location – offering patrons a chance to purchase paintings in the museum that anchors Gloucester’s historic Main Street.
As the festival progresses, Otis Murphy’s saxophone performance on June 13th, the photographic splendor at the Friends of Lens Exhibit, and Bobby BlackHat’s blues concert add diverse artistic expressions to the festival’s canvas.
The celebrations peak on June 29th with a community-centered Village Arts Day, offering a plethora of activities for families and art enthusiasts. It’s a day that truly embodies the festival’s ethos of bringing together the community through art. The festival hosts the closing “It’s a Wrap” reception at the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester beginning at 4:00 PM on June 29th.
This year’s Gloucester Arts Festival, with its rich array of events, stands as a testament to the community’s commitment to celebrating art in all its forms. It’s not just a series of events; it’s a vibrant journey through the artistic soul of Gloucester, bringing together local and visiting art lovers in a celebration of creativity, community, and the beauty of the region.
Celebrating 25 years of artistic excellence, the Cook Foundation, founded by Adrianne Ryder-Cook Joseph, has been a cornerstone in transforming Gloucester, Virginia’s historic Main Street into a thriving arts hub. This year marks the 8th edition of their flagship Gloucester Arts Festival, helmed by Marjo Holthaus as Festival Chair, and Elizabeth Blackney, the Festival Director and Executive Director of the Cook Foundation. The foundation’s impact is profound - elevating aesthetics, invigorating businesses, and beckoning art aficionados. The 2024 Heart of the River Collection will be on display at the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester from June 9th through June 29th.
GLOUCESTER ARTS FESTIVAL LINEUP
May 31
Brews, Brin
e, & Wine Tickets include parking at Machicomico State Park, one drink ticket, and one ticket for six oysters. We are highlighting the bivalves of Cappahosic Oyster Company, a local hatchery. We partner with the Gloucester Brewing Company to launch the festival-special ale “Perennial Daze.” Visitors will also see 30 plein air artists painting across the 600+ acre park on the York River, and enjoy a food truck rally and RaJazz – a local jazz and pop band.
June 1
Paint Main
The 2024 invited Plein Air artists along with artists from the community grace the streets of Main Street! Freshly phttps://blob.metropublisher.com/api/blob/583/downloads/2830/download/BBW-as-painted-by-M-Rose.jpg?cb=b4fc586438eb5d95bf734c192500fbc6ainted artwork on easels will be created all within two hours, just a few blocks along Main Street, in the center of Gloucester Courthouse! Paintings are also available for sale right off the easel. Paintings will be able to be viewed and purchased until 2:00 PM.
June 1
The Symphony Under the Stars concert by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra is touted as one of the most anticipated events of the year in the community, drawing well over a thousand families and community members to Main Street for an evening of great food and music. Symphony Under the Stars is co-sponsored and supported [in part] by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
June 3rd
Meet the Artists is a patron-exclusive event at the Barn on Elmington Estate. Patrons will enjoy an elevated experience in 1:1 interaction with the plein air artists.
June 4
In partnership with the Bay School Community Arts Center for a one-day event in Mathews, the 2024 Plein Air Artists will be painting at various locations in Mathews County. Watch the artists at work during the day and then join us at the Bay School at 5:00 PM for a reception. Paintings created that day will be available for purchase during the reception. See if you can determine Best in Show and which artist receives the prize money! This event is free and open to the public.
June 5
Hosted at the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester, visitors will hear the inspiring story of how Robert Johnson, a lawyer in Virginia, chased his artistic muse to become a full-time Master Painter. Robert will deliver a talk and presentation of some of his art with a focus on his path from athlete to lawyer to becoming a successful artist and the events and people who made the journey possible. He will also have some of his art present and will be able to discuss it and the process of its creation with the audience.
June 6
Cocktails in the Garden will be held in the exquisite gardens of Goshen Farm on the Ware River. Visitors will enjoy watching the artists at work, chat with local art lovers in the sculpture garden, and indulge in fine hors d’oeuvres, and handcrafted signature cocktails.
June 7
The Gloucester Arts Festival and the Cook Foundation are pleased to partner with Arts on Main to bring a Local Color Show featuring local artists and scenery. Arts on Main’s June show highlights the beauty and talent of the Middle Peninsula by featuring images of local scenes or art by local artists.
June 8
Robert Johnson helms a “Color and Composition” workshop at the historic Gloucester Institute – best known as Holly Knoll and the Moton Center. The event will include a still-life demonstration, guidance arranging the setups and props for the student’s work as they create their own masterworks!
June 8
The Plein Air Gala will be held at the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester. Our theme this year is “The Met in Your Backyard” and will feature an elaborate red-carpet experience while enjoying the Heart of the River Collection. The 2024 Plein Air artists have selected their five finest works from the week to enter into the competition. Over $28,000 is at stake for the artists.
June 13
Presented in partnership with Arts at Abingdon, the 2024 event features Otis Murphy. Join us for a music-filled evening at the historic Abingdon Church. Otis Murphy is a professor of music in saxophone at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, joining the faculty at age 28 and becoming one of the youngest faculty members in its history.
June 14 & 15
Hosted at the historic Edgehill House, and presented in partnership with the Gloucester Woman’s Club, the Friends of Lens Exhibit features photographs by Sean Smith and Jeff Thomas. It is free and open to the public.
June 20
The Sculpture Experience walk will be a tour through the 12 new sculptures visiting from the Seward Johnson Atelier. The sculptures are art-themed and bring exciting energy for visitors and residents, all along Main Street and in the Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester.
June 22
In partnership with Flat Iron Crossroads, Bobby BlackHat, Virginia’s Blues Ambassador, will headline a concert. The award-winning recording artist, harmonica player, vocalist, songwriter, comedian, and producer has been playing harmonica for over 46 years.
June 29
Village Arts Day is a free, family-friendly day celebrating the Arts and Artists from Gloucester and around the region! There are live performances, balloon sculptures, face painting, fun tattoos, children’s paint station, storytelling, tours of Gloucester Museum of History and Edge Hill House, a community mural painting, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Artmobile. Food truck offerings include Bar-Q, Bouncin Buoy’s, Bald Guys Pies, and Short Lane Ice Cream.
The Artisan Market will feature twenty top-quality artisans, craftsmen, and boutique businesses featuring handcrafted jewelry, pottery, fiber art, paintings, studio glass, metal sculptures, and much more. Village Arts Day will take place between Duval Avenue and the historic Gloucester Courthouse Circle. While on Main Street be sure to visit the local studios like Arts on Main, The Village Art Studio, the Village Blacksmith, and York & Main as they showcase the work of our very own Gloucester artists!
June 29
The It’s a Wrap Reception is free and open to the public from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM at the Fine Arts Museum. It’s the last chance to purchase a painting from the 2024 Invited Plein Air Artists.