Baldwin County Alabama OWA Arts and Crafts Festival

In the middle of a resort and entertainment district in Foley, a wide pedestrian street fills with handmade goods and live music for three days each winter. The OWA Arts & Crafts Festival is a young event by Baldwin County standards — it has been running for only a handful of years — but it has grown quickly into one of the area’s most family-friendly weekends.

What sets it apart is the setting. OWA is a planned downtown built around a lake and an island stage, with shops, restaurants, and an amusement park wrapped around it. The festival uses those streetscapes as its venue, so visitors can browse a craft booth, catch a band on the Island Stage, let the children play, and then stay for dinner or a ride — all within a few minutes’ walk.

It is also free, which helps explain its popularity. For a coastal county with a crowded festival calendar, the OWA festival offers something simple and easy: a winter weekend of local art, handcrafted goods, and live entertainment that does not require a ticket or a long drive into the countryside.

Foley’s winter event is one stop on a busy county circuit. Our guide to the Baldwin County Alabama Ballyhoo Festival covers the Gulf Shores fine-art and culture festival, historically held in early March at Gulf State Park.

OWA Festival at a Glance

The essentials for planning a winter weekend in Foley.

Festival	OWA Arts & Crafts Festival
County	Baldwin County, Alabama (seat: Bay Minette)
City	Foley
Venue	Downtown OWA, 10113 Foley Beach Express
Timing	Usually a January weekend, Friday–Sunday
Admission	Free
Vendors	Local artists, makers, and small businesses with handmade goods
Music	Live bands on the Island Stage through the weekend
Family	Kids’ play zone and hands-on art activities
Age	A newer festival, held annually since the early 2020s
Best for	Families, casual shoppers, and anyone combining art with a day at OWA

A New Festival in a New Downtown

OWA is one of the newer additions to Baldwin County’s landscape. Built as a master-planned entertainment district in Foley, it brings together a downtown-style shopping and dining street, a lake with an island stage, and a theme and water park. It was designed to be walkable, and the arts and crafts festival makes full use of that design.

The festival began in the early 2020s and has been held each year since, growing steadily as word spread. Its early editions drew a modest lineup of local vendors; more recent editions have filled the downtown streetscapes with artists, makers, and small businesses, and added a full slate of live music and children’s programming. In a county where many festivals have decades of history, OWA’s is a young one — and it is still finding its size.

That youth is part of its appeal. There is no long tradition to live up to and no sprawling footprint to navigate. It is a compact, easygoing weekend that fits neatly into the rhythm of a growing town.

What You’ll Find at the Festival

Handmade Goods and Local Makers

The heart of the event is its vendors. Local artists, craftspeople, and small businesses set up booths along the downtown streets, selling handmade goods — jewelry, ceramics, textiles, woodwork, art, and seasonal items. Because the festival favors local and regional makers, it is a good place to find something original and to support small businesses.

Live Music on the Island Stage

Live music runs across the three days, with bands performing on the Island Stage in the middle of the district. Sets are spread through the afternoons and evenings, so there is almost always something playing while you browse. The lake-and-island setting makes the stage a natural gathering point for the whole festival.

Kids’ Play Zone and Hands-On Art

Families are a priority here. A kids’ play zone operates each day, and hands-on art activities give children the chance to make something of their own. Combined with the district’s open, car-free streets, it makes the festival an easy outing for parents who want to shop and entertain children at the same time.

Dining, Shopping, and the Parks

One advantage of a festival inside a district is that the amenities are right there. Downtown OWA’s restaurants and shops stay open through the weekend, and the amusement and water parks offer a way to extend the day — with separate tickets required for the rides. It is a festival you can build a whole afternoon or evening around.

The vendor mix leans toward affordable, giftable work rather than high-end fine art. That is a deliberate fit for a January weekend: shoppers find small pieces, seasonal items, and handmade gifts, and the atmosphere stays relaxed. Vendors are approachable and happy to talk about how they make what they sell.

Planning Your Visit

Getting to OWA

OWA is in Foley, at 10113 Foley Beach Express, a short drive from Highway 59 and Interstate 10. From Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, it is a quick trip north; from Mobile or Pensacola, allow about an hour. The district has ample parking and a compact, walkable layout once you arrive.

Hours Across the Weekend

The festival typically opens on Friday afternoon and runs through the evening, then continues Saturday from mid-morning into the evening and Sunday from late morning into the afternoon. Because hours have varied between editions, check the current schedule before you go.

Admission, Parking, and Costs

Admission is free. Parking at OWA is free, and you pay only for food, drinks, shopping, and any theme or water park tickets you choose. For a family looking for a low-cost weekend, it is hard to beat.

January Weather and What to Bring

January on the Gulf Coast is cool and often crisp, with daytime temperatures that can range from the 50s to the 60s and colder evenings. Bring a warm jacket, comfortable shoes for walking the district, and a little flexibility for rain. The mild winter weather is one reason the festival works so well as an outdoor event.

A Winter Weekend Plan

Friday afternoon is a gentle start: arrive as the vendors open, walk the downtown streets while the crowd is light, and catch an evening band on the Island Stage. Saturday is the fullest day, with music from mid-morning through the evening, the kids’ zone in full swing, and the widest choice of vendors. Sunday is for a relaxed final pass — a last look at the booths, a meal downtown, and a ride at the park if the weather is kind.

Because the festival shares its space with the district’s restaurants and attractions, it is easy to turn a single afternoon into a full day. Plan for a meal on site, and leave time to walk the lakefront and the island.

More Winter and Spring Festivals

OWA’s January weekend is the first of the year in Baldwin County. Several other events follow:

Foley BBQ & Blues Cook-Off	Foley, second Saturday in March; barbecue and blues
Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival	Fairhope, third weekend in March, since 1953
Elberta Sausage Festival	Elberta, last Saturday in March
Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival	Foley (OWA), late April into early May
Strawberry Festival	Loxley, first Saturday in May, since 1988

Family-Friendly Tips

• Check the current dates and hours, which have varied between editions.
• Bring a warm jacket for January evenings and comfortable walking shoes.
• Let children use the kids’ zone and art activities while you browse.
• Plan a meal downtown; the restaurants are part of the experience.
• Decide in advance whether you want theme or water park tickets.

Beyond the Festival

OWA’s location makes it a convenient base for a longer coastal trip. Downtown Foley’s shops and parks are minutes away, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach lie a short drive south, and the quieter farmland towns of inland Baldwin County sit just to the north. Gulf State Park and the Bon Secour refuge are close for anyone wanting more time outdoors.

Because OWA sits at the junction of Highway 59 and the Foley Beach Express, it is also an easy base for a longer trip. Visitors can pair the festival with a beach day, a wildlife drive, or a stop in Fairhope across the bay, turning a single winter weekend into a full coastal itinerary.

Why the Festival Matters

The OWA Arts & Crafts Festival shows how a new district can build community around the arts. By giving local makers a free venue, hosting live music, and welcoming families, it supports small businesses and gives Foley a winter event to call its own. In a county full of long-running traditions, it is proof that a festival does not need decades of history to matter.

Where the Festival Happens

The festival fills the streetscapes of Downtown OWA in Foley, at 10113 Foley Beach Express in south Baldwin County.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the OWA Arts & Crafts Festival?

It is usually held on a January weekend, running Friday through Sunday. Confirm the current dates with OWA, as the schedule has varied between editions.

Where is it held?

In Downtown OWA in Foley, Alabama, at 10113 Foley Beach Express. The festival uses the district’s pedestrian streetscapes and island stage.

Is admission free?

Yes. Admission and parking are free, and you pay only for food, shopping, and any theme or water park tickets.

What can I buy there?

Handmade goods from local artists and small businesses — jewelry, ceramics, textiles, woodwork, art, and seasonal items.

Is there live music?

Yes. Bands perform on the Island Stage through the weekend, with sets spread across the afternoons and evenings.

Is it good for children?

Yes. There is a kids’ play zone and hands-on art activities, and the district’s car-free streets make it easy to bring children.

How new is the festival?

It is one of Baldwin County’s newer events, first held in the early 2020s and staged annually since. It has grown each year as more makers and visitors take part.

What is Baldwin County known for?

Foley has become one of the coast’s busiest hubs, sitting where the inland highways meet the road to the beach. The wider county is known for its seafood, its shoreline, and its year-round festivals. Baldwin is the largest county in Alabama by land area and one of only two that touch the Gulf of Mexico.

What to Expect From the Next Festival

The OWA Arts & Crafts Festival is an annual winter event and is expected to return to Downtown OWA, with dates and lineups announced ahead of each edition.

How often is the festival held?

Annually, usually in January. It has been held each year since its launch in the early 2020s.

When is the next one?

The next edition is expected on a January weekend. OWA publishes the confirmed dates, hours, and music lineup in advance.

Will the dates change?

The winter timing has held, but the exact days and hours have varied between editions, and winter weather can affect an outdoor event. Confirm the schedule before you travel.

Last updated: October 2026

The OWA Arts & Crafts Festival is a young event with an easy charm: free to enter, walkable, full of local makers, and built for families. Come for the craft booths and the music, stay for dinner and the lights on the lake, and see why Foley’s newest tradition is catching on.