The 51st Annual mainsail art festival is this weekend at vinoy park in downtown ST. Pete | Mainsail art festival

One of the city’s largest and longest-running cultural events returns this weekend along the downtown St. Pete waterfront, bringing hundreds of artists and tens of thousands of visitors to Vinoy Park.

The 51st annual Mainsail Art Festival takes place March 28th and 29th at 701 Bayshore Drive Northeast, with hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Admission is free.

More than 250 juried artists from across the country will showcase and sell their work, spanning 13 mediums including ceramics, glass, jewelry, photography, sculpture, watercolor, wood, and mixed media.

Roughly half of this year’s exhibitors are new to the festival.

the festival features over 250 artists that specialize in a variety of mediums | Mainsail art festival

Attendance is expected to top 100,000 over the two-day event, which consistently ranks among the largest outdoor festivals in St. Pete.

In 2025, Sunshine Artist Magazine included Mainsail among the top fine art shows in the country.

Beyond the artist booths, the festival features a full lineup of live music, a food court and beer garden, and a range of family-friendly programming.

The Junior League of St. Petersburg will host its Kids Create craft tent, offering five free make and take crafts.

Additionally, the Young at Art Student Exhibition will highlight work from Pinellas County students.

Artists will compete for $60,000 in total prize money, including a $10,000 Best of Show award.

The Junior League of St. Petersburg will host its Kids Create craft tent, offering five free make and take crafts | Mainsail Art Festival

The festival is produced by an all-volunteer committee and operates as a nonprofit with no paid staff, a structure that has helped sustain the event for more than five decades.

First launched in 1976 as the Saint Petersburg Sidewalk Arts and Colonial Crafts Festival, Mainsail has been held at Vinoy Park since 2004.

The event is cashless for food, beverages, and promotional purchases.

More information, including a full list of participating artists, is available at mainsailart.org or on Instagram at @mainsailart.