Baldwin County Alabama Art in the Park Festival
Every spring, a quiet lawn in downtown Foley turns into one of the Gulf Coast’s most respected outdoor art shows. For more than half a century, Art in the Park has filled Mother’s Day weekend with painters, potters, jewelers, and woodcarvers from across the Southeast, and it has done so without charging a dime at the gate. What sets this show apart from the many street fairs along the coast is its discipline: every artist is juried in, and cash awards are handed out for the strongest work. You are not walking past funnel cakes and resale trinkets here. You are walking past original paintings, hand-thrown ceramics, stained glass, and textiles, all displayed on the grass under the live oaks of a downtown park.
Baldwin County has grown into one of Alabama’s busiest tourism counties, but Art in the Park has stayed a local institution at heart. It is run by the Foley Art Center, a nonprofit that has supported Gulf Coast artists and students since the 1960s, and it leans on volunteers who have worked the show for years. The result is an event that feels curated rather than assembled, where the same families return each May and a new generation of artists is introduced on the same lawn.
What Art in the Park Is
Art in the Park is a competitive juried fine arts show, not a general festival. The Foley Art Center reviews artist applications in advance, selects the exhibitors, and then awards prizes for the best work in the show. Because admission is free and the setting is a public park, the event draws a mix of serious collectors, families looking for a Mother’s Day outing, and curious visitors who happen to be in Foley for the beaches a few miles south.
The show runs the full Mother’s Day weekend, opening Saturday morning and closing Sunday afternoon. Roughly eighty to more than one hundred artists take part in a typical year, and the Foley Art Center has estimated crowds in the range of five thousand visitors across the two days. The park sits on the site of the city’s historic downtown, within easy walking distance of Foley’s shops and restaurants.
| Show name | Art in the Park |
| Organizer | Foley Art Center (nonprofit, founded 1966) |
| First held | 1971 |
| Typical timing | Mother’s Day weekend (second Sunday in May) |
| Venue | John B. Foley Park, downtown Foley, Alabama |
| Format | Competitive juried fine arts and crafts show |
| Admission | Free |
| Artists | Roughly 80 to 100-plus, juried, from the Southeast |
How the Show Began and Grew
Art in the Park dates to 1971, which makes it one of the longer-running juried art shows on the Alabama coast. It grew out of the Foley Art Center, an organization founded in 1966 to promote the visual arts in the region and to give local students a path into creative work. From the start, the show was tied to Mother’s Day weekend, a timing that has proved durable: the weather is warm but not yet oppressive, the spring tourist season is building, and families are already looking for something to do together.
Over the decades the show has expanded in size and reputation while keeping its basic shape. It moved onto the lawn of John B. Foley Park, the green space at the center of the city’s downtown, and it added the structure of a juried competition with cash awards. More recently, the Foley Art Center has widened the show’s youth component, displaying work by students from Foley Middle School, Foley High School, and Elberta High School. Each year one student’s design is chosen to appear on the festival’s poster and t-shirt, an honor that gives a young artist a public debut.
Baldwin County’s Arts and Coastal Heritage
Baldwin County is Alabama’s largest county by land area, and it contains one of the state’s most distinctive cultural mixes. The eastern shore of Mobile Bay, the farm towns along the interior, and the beach cities to the south each carry their own identity, and the arts scene reflects that range. Fairhope, a few miles west of Foley, built a reputation as a colony for writers, painters, and craftspeople in the early twentieth century, and that creative streak spread across the county over time.
Foley itself grew from an agricultural crossroads into a retail and tourism hub. Its downtown park is named for John B. Foley, the Chicago businessman whose land company helped shape the town in the early 1900s. That history, combined with the county’s seasonal population of winter visitors and summer beachgoers, created an audience for original art that a purely rural county might not sustain. The Foley Art Center’s classes, exhibitions, and grants to local schools keep that audience connected to working artists rather than imported merchandise.
The county’s economy today leans on tourism, health care, manufacturing, and a still-active agricultural base, but its cultural calendar is what fills the weekends. Between the beaches at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, the historic districts of Fairhope and Daphne, and the outlet shopping along the Foley corridor, Art in the Park lands in the middle of a region that already knows how to host visitors.
What You’ll See on the Lawn
The artwork
Expect a broad, handmade range of work: paintings and drawings in several media, wheel-thrown and hand-built pottery, stained glass, carved wood, jewelry, and textiles. Because the show is juried, the standard is consistent, and many exhibitors travel from across the Southeast to take part. Artists are usually on hand at their booths, so you can talk with the person who made the piece you are considering rather than buying from a reseller.
Demonstrations and live work
The show includes live demonstrations and entertainment woven through the weekend, which is part of why it rewards slow browsing. Watching a potter pull a bowl or a painter block in a canvas turns a shopping trip into something closer to a studio visit. Cash awards announced during the show add a competitive edge, and the award-winning pieces are often marked so visitors can seek them out.
Families and children
Art in the Park is explicitly family-friendly, and the children’s area has grown in recent years to include hands-on art activities and face painting. The youth exhibit gives kids something to look at that was made by people close to their own age, and the free admission means a family can drop in, wander, and leave without feeling obligated to buy. For a Mother’s Day outing, that combination is hard to beat.
Planning Your Mother’s Day Weekend
Getting to Foley
Foley sits in south Baldwin County where Alabama Highway 59 meets U.S. 98, roughly ten miles north of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. From Interstate 10, take the Highway 59 exit and drive south; from the beach cities, head north on Highway 59 into downtown. The drive from Mobile is a little over an hour, and Pensacola is a similar distance to the east. The nearest commercial airports are Mobile Regional and Pensacola International, with a smaller general-aviation field at Gulf Shores.
Where to stay
Lodging in Baldwin County runs from beach condominiums in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach to hotels and inns in Foley, Fairhope, and Daphne. Because Mother’s Day weekend overlaps with the spring beach season, rooms can fill early; booking a few weeks out is wise if you want to stay near the park. Camping and RV sites are available at Gulf State Park and at several private parks along the coast.
Parking and crowd logistics
Parking around downtown Foley is a mix of street spaces, public lots, and nearby commercial parking, and it fills quickly on Saturday morning. Sunday is generally the calmer of the two days, and the first hour after opening is the easiest time to arrive. Wear comfortable shoes, because the show spreads across a lawn and you will be on your feet.
Admission and costs
Admission to Art in the Park is free. Your spending is limited to whatever art, food, or merchandise you choose to buy, and to any purchases from the Foley Art Center tent, which has sold festival shirts and posters in past years. Prices for individual works are set by the artists, so they vary widely.
Weather and what to wear
May in south Alabama is warm and often humid, with daytime temperatures typically reaching the low to mid eighties and occasional afternoon thunderstorms. Sun protection matters, since the show is outdoors, and a light layer or a small umbrella helps if a shower rolls through. The ground is grass, so flat shoes are better than heels.
A Sample Festival Weekend
- Saturday morning: arrive near opening, walk the full show once before buying, and catch the early demonstrations.
- Saturday midday: break for lunch in downtown Foley or at the food vendors on site, then revisit the booths that caught your eye.
- Saturday afternoon: check the award-winning pieces and the youth exhibit, then head to the beach for sunset.
- Sunday: return for a quieter pass, talk with artists, and make your purchases before the show closes in the afternoon.
Other Baldwin County Festivals to Compare
Art in the Park is one stop in a busy county calendar. If you enjoy this show, the Baldwin County Alabama Shrimp Festival shows how a neighboring county handles a similar juried tradition, and it is a useful comparison for anyone tracking Alabama’s community art scene. Closer to home, Baldwin County also hosts the Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival each March, the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores each October, and the county’s strawberry festival in Loxley in the spring. Each has a different personality, from the fine-art focus of Art in the Park to the seafood and music of the fall shrimp festival.
Your Festival Checklist
- Cash and cards: most artists take both, but a little cash helps for small vendors.
- Sunscreen, a hat, and water, because the show is outdoors on grass.
- A tote or box for anything fragile, such as pottery or glass.
- Comfortable shoes and a plan for a midday break.
- An early arrival on Saturday if you want the closest parking.
Beyond the Festival
Pair the show with the rest of Baldwin County. Gulf State Park offers beaches, trails, and a fishing pier a short drive south. The Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge protects dunes and maritime forest on the Fort Morgan peninsula. Historic Fort Morgan itself guards the entrance to Mobile Bay, and the towns of Fairhope and Daphne along the eastern shore reward an afternoon of browsing. Farther inland, the farms and fields of the county’s agricultural interior round out the picture. A Saturday at the art show and a Sunday exploring the coast is a natural two-day plan.
Why the Show Matters to Foley
Art in the Park is more than a pleasant weekend. It puts money directly into the hands of working artists, many of them regional, and it supports the Foley Art Center’s year-round programs, including classes and grants that reach thousands of local students. The show is run largely by volunteers and sustained by the relationships between the art center, the city, and the schools. In a county whose economy is dominated by tourism and retail, a free, juried art show is a reminder that the region’s culture is produced locally, not just imported for visitors.
Festival Area Map
The show is staged on the lawn of John B. Foley Park in downtown Foley, where Alabama Highway 59 meets U.S. 98.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Art in the Park in Foley?
Art in the Park is traditionally held on Mother’s Day weekend, the second Sunday in May, opening Saturday morning and running through Sunday afternoon. Confirm the exact dates with the Foley Art Center before you travel, since the calendar shifts slightly each year.
Is Art in the Park free to attend?
Yes. The show has free admission, and it is designed as a family-friendly event. You only pay for whatever art, food, or merchandise you choose to buy.
Where is Art in the Park held?
The show takes place at John B. Foley Park in downtown Foley, Alabama, at the intersection of Alabama Highway 59 and U.S. 98. The park sits at the center of the city’s historic downtown.
How many artists take part?
Roughly eighty to more than one hundred juried artists and crafters exhibit in a typical year, traveling from across the Southeast. The show is competitive, with cash awards for standout work.
What is Foley, Alabama known for?
Foley is a retail and tourism hub in south Baldwin County, known for its outlet shopping, its historic downtown, and its proximity to the Gulf beaches at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. It is also home to the Foley Art Center, which has supported regional artists and students since the 1960s.
Is Art in the Park good for kids?
Yes. The show includes a children’s area with hands-on art activities and face painting, along with a youth exhibit featuring work by local middle- and high-school students. Free admission makes it easy to bring the whole family.
What should I bring to Art in the Park?
Bring sunscreen, a hat, water, and comfortable shoes, since the show is outdoors on grass. A tote or box is useful if you plan to buy pottery, glass, or other fragile work.
Are pets allowed at Art in the Park?
Policies for pets vary and are set by the organizer and the city. Check with the Foley Art Center before bringing a dog, and plan to keep any pet leashed and away from the artwork.
What to Expect From the Next Art in the Park
Art in the Park is an annual event, held every year since 1971, so you can plan on a show each Mother’s Day weekend in most years. The timing is remarkably stable, following the second Sunday in May, though the exact dates shift a little from year to year. Recent editions have marked milestones, with the show passing its fifty-third year, and the format has stayed consistent: a free, juried show on the downtown lawn with a growing youth component.
Because the dates are tied to the holiday rather than to a fixed calendar day, confirm the weekend with the Foley Art Center before booking lodging. Spring is peak season on the Alabama coast, so hotels in Foley, Gulf Shores, and Orange Beach can sell out. Arriving early on Saturday, or choosing Sunday for a calmer visit, remains the best way to enjoy the show.
How often is Art in the Park held?
It is an annual event and has run every year since 1971, always on Mother’s Day weekend. It is not an occasional or one-time festival.
When is the next Art in the Park?
The next edition is expected on Mother’s Day weekend, following the same pattern as past shows. Check with the Foley Art Center for the confirmed dates before you make travel plans.
Will the dates change?
The weekend is set by the holiday, so it moves slightly each year, but the show has kept to Mother’s Day weekend for decades. Weather and city scheduling can occasionally affect details, so confirm closer to the date.
Last updated: October 2026
Art in the Park has earned its long run by doing one thing exceptionally well: putting real, juried art in front of a coastal Alabama audience for free, year after year. If you are anywhere near Foley on Mother’s Day weekend, the lawn at John B. Foley Park is worth your morning. Bring the family, take your time, and leave with something made by hand.
