Elmore County Alabama Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival
On the fourth Saturday of October, historic downtown Wetumpka becomes a gallery without walls. The Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival fills the streets with wildlife paintings, sculptures, field-sport demonstrations, conservation exhibits, and a DockDogs competition that sends dogs leaping into a pool for distance.
Organized by the Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts, the festival bills itself as Alabama’s premier wildlife arts festival. It is free and open to the public, and its mission is straightforward: engage, inspire, and educate the art and outdoor communities with a public celebration of Alabama’s wildlife, landscapes, and field-sport traditions through the visual arts.
For a single Saturday, the festival brings together some of the Southeast’s most respected wildlife artists, working dog kennels, fly-fishing instructors, and conservation groups — all within walking distance in one of Alabama’s most scenic river towns.
Wetumpka’s fall lineup also includes smaller community gatherings, and the Elmore County Alabama Water Festival is another way the county connects residents to its rivers and natural resources.
Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival: Quick Facts
| Festival | Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival (WEWA) |
| County | Elmore County, Alabama (seat: Wetumpka) |
| City | Wetumpka |
| Venue | Historic Downtown Wetumpka |
| Timing | Fourth Saturday in October, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Admission | Free |
| Organizer | The Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts |
| Highlights | Wildlife fine art, a juried art competition, field-sport demonstrations, DockDogs, conservation exhibits |
| Region | Central Alabama, at the Coosa and Tallapoosa confluence |
| Best for | Art collectors, outdoor enthusiasts, families, and dog lovers |
What the Wildlife Arts Festival Is
The Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival, known as WEWA, is an annual celebration of the visual arts and the outdoors. Held every fourth Saturday of October in historic downtown Wetumpka, it runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free to attend.
The festival is built around wildlife art, but it reaches well beyond the gallery. Visitors can watch sporting dog demonstrations, see fly-fishing experts at work, meet conservation organizations, and cheer on dogs competing in DockDogs. Art, outdoor recreation, and education sit side by side across the festival grounds.
That mix is what makes the festival unusual. A traditional art fair would keep its distance from field sports, and a traditional outdoor expo would have little use for fine art. WEWA deliberately joins the two, on the theory that people who love the outdoors and people who collect wildlife art are often the same people.
How the Festival Came Together
The Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts, a Wetumpka arts organization, created the festival to showcase wildlife art while celebrating the region’s outdoor heritage. Its stated aim is to engage and educate the art and outdoor communities, and it has grown into what organizers call Alabama’s premier wildlife arts festival.
In a relatively short time, the festival has earned that reputation. Commentators have ranked it among the South’s leading wildlife arts festivals, and its combination of a serious juried competition with crowd-pleasing demonstrations has given it a distinct identity in the regional festival calendar.
Art at the Center
The heart of the event is the Alabama’s Wildlife Fine Art Competition, a juried exhibition in which artists compete for prizes totaling more than $30,000. Sponsored in part by the Alabama Wildlife Federation, the competition draws established and emerging wildlife artists from across the Southeast and gives the festival its serious, collector-facing character.
An Outdoor Heritage
The festival’s focus on field-sport traditions sets it apart from a typical arts fair. Sporting demonstrations, fly-fishing instruction, and conservation exhibits reflect the outdoor culture of central Alabama, where hunting, fishing, and land stewardship remain part of daily life for many families.
A Downtown Setting
Staging the festival in historic downtown Wetumpka is part of its appeal. The city’s riverfront, shops, and historic buildings give the event a walkable, intimate character, and the setting itself celebrates the Alabama landscape the art depicts.
The location also keeps the festival grounded in the place it celebrates. Artists painting Alabama’s birds, deer, and river scenes do so a short walk from the water those subjects depend on, which gives the whole event a coherence that a convention hall could never provide.
What to Expect at the Festival
Wildlife Fine Art
The festival showcases contemporary wildlife artists working in painting, drawing, and sculpture. Visitors can browse and buy original works, meet the artists, and see the pieces entered in the juried competition. For collectors, it is one of the region’s best opportunities to acquire serious wildlife art in person.
The Juried Art Competition
Alabama’s Wildlife Fine Art Competition gives the festival a competitive, high-caliber edge. With more than $30,000 in prizes, it attracts strong entries and gives visitors a curated view of the best wildlife art being made in the Southeast.
Field-Sport Demonstrations
Demonstrations from dog kennels and trainers, along with fly-fishing experts, bring the outdoor traditions to life. Whether you are an experienced sportsman or simply curious, the demos offer a hands-on, up-close look at skills that are usually practiced far from a downtown street.
DockDogs
DockDogs is one of the festival’s most popular draws. The organization, founded in 2000, runs open competitions that let “anyone with a dog and a toy” take part, and the leaping, splashing action runs throughout the festival. It is a crowd-pleaser for families and a genuine sport for the competitors.
Conservation Exhibits
Conservation groups, including the Alabama Wildlife Federation and Raptor’s Ridge Wildlife Education, set up exhibits where visitors can see, and sometimes hold, live Alabama wildlife. The education is hands-on, and it makes the case for environmental stewardship in a way that a brochure cannot.
Planning Your Visit
Getting to Wetumpka
Wetumpka is the seat of Elmore County in central Alabama, about 15 miles north of Montgomery on US 231. The festival takes place in historic downtown, where the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers join to form the Alabama River. Downtown is compact and best explored on foot.
Parking and Getting Around
Parking is available in public lots and along downtown streets, and the festival grounds are walkable. Because the event is spread across the downtown area, comfortable shoes are a good idea. Arriving earlier in the morning leaves more time to see the art and demonstrations.
Admission and Costs
Admission is free, and the festival is open to the public. Art, food, and merchandise are available for purchase, so bring a budget if you plan to buy. Free admission makes it an easy event to sample even for a short visit.
Weather and What to Wear
Late October in central Alabama is usually mild and pleasant, with comfortable daytime temperatures. The festival is outdoors, so dress for the weather, wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring a light layer in case the morning starts cool.
Where to Stay
Wetumpka has a small selection of lodging, and Montgomery, a short drive south, offers a full range of hotels. The festival pairs well with a weekend of exploring the downtown riverfront, the historic courthouse, and the surrounding outdoor attractions.
A Sample Festival Day
Start at 9 a.m. when the festival opens, and spend the first hour with the fine art and the juried competition while the streets are still quiet. Browse the exhibitors, talk with artists, and get a feel for the range of work on display.
Midday is the time for the demonstrations. Watch the field-sport and fly-fishing demos, catch the DockDogs competition, and stop by the conservation exhibits to meet the live animals. Grab lunch from a downtown restaurant or food vendor, then loop back through the art before the festival closes at 3 p.m.
Other Festivals to Compare
Elmore County and the surrounding region host a range of events through the year:
| Farm City Festival | Wetumpka, October — agriculture, animals, and free food |
| Elmore County Water Festival | Millbrook, autumn — water education for sixth graders |
| Wetumpka Christmas events | Wetumpka, December — holiday lights and markets |
| Coosa River events | Wetumpka, spring and summer — riverfront gatherings |
| Montgomery festivals | Montgomery, year-round — larger regional celebrations |
Practical Checklist
- Arrive at 9 a.m. to see the art before the streets fill.
- Wear comfortable shoes for walking downtown.
- Bring a budget if you plan to buy art or merchandise.
- Catch the DockDogs competition and the field-sport demonstrations.
- Visit the conservation exhibits to see live Alabama wildlife.
Beyond the Festival
Wetumpka rewards a longer stay. The downtown riverfront, where the Coosa and Tallapoosa meet, is a focal point for the city, and the historic Elmore County Courthouse and the city’s growing arts scene give visitors plenty to see between festival stops. The Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts, which organizes the festival, is itself part of Wetumpka’s cultural life.
The city’s revival as an arts destination has been deliberate, with public art, restored buildings, and a walkable riverfront drawing new attention to a town that had quieted over the decades. The festival is both a product of that revival and a contributor to it.
The wider county adds outdoor options. The Alabama Nature Center at Lanark, in Millbrook, offers trails and environmental education, and the Coosa River corridor draws paddlers, anglers, and wildlife watchers. For a fall weekend built around art and the outdoors, Wetumpka is an unusually good fit.
The Significance of the Wildlife Arts Festival
The Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival does something rare: it treats wildlife art and outdoor tradition as parts of the same culture. By putting fine art alongside field-sport demonstrations and conservation exhibits, it shows that appreciation for Alabama’s natural world can take many forms, from a painting to a dog’s leap into a pool.
It also strengthens Wetumpka’s identity as a river town with a serious arts community. In a small city, an event that draws renowned artists, conservation groups, and families to the same downtown streets is both an economic boost and a statement about what the community values.
And because admission is free, the festival remains accessible to everyone in the community, not just collectors. That openness is central to its success: it lets a curious family wander in for the dogs and leave with a new interest in wildlife art, or the reverse.
Festival Area Map
The festival takes place in historic downtown Wetumpka, Elmore County, along the Coosa River.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival?
It is held on the fourth Saturday of October, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Confirm the exact date with the Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts before you travel.
Where is it held?
In historic downtown Wetumpka, Alabama, in Elmore County, along the Coosa River.
Is admission free?
Yes. The festival is free and open to the public. You pay only for art, food, and merchandise you choose to buy.
What is DockDogs?
DockDogs is a dog-jumping sport founded in 2000. Its open competitions let dogs and owners compete for distance and height, and the action runs throughout the festival.
Is there art for sale?
Yes. Wildlife artists exhibit and sell original works, and the juried Alabama’s Wildlife Fine Art Competition features pieces competing for more than $30,000 in prizes.
Is it good for children?
Yes. DockDogs, live-animal conservation exhibits, and demonstrations make it engaging for families as well as art lovers.
What is Elmore County known for?
Elmore County is a central Alabama county along the Coosa River, known for its riverfront communities, outdoor recreation at the Alabama Nature Center, and its ties to nearby Montgomery.
What to Expect From the Next Wildlife Arts Festival
The festival is an annual event and is expected to return to historic downtown Wetumpka on the fourth Saturday of October, organized by the Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts.
How often is the Wildlife Arts Festival held?
Every year, on the fourth Saturday of October. It has grown into a signature fall event for the city.
When is the next festival?
The next edition is expected on the fourth Saturday of October. Organizers publish the artist list and schedule in advance.
Will the schedule change?
The fourth-Saturday timing has been consistent, but the artist lineup, demonstrations, and attractions change year to year, and weather can affect an outdoor festival. Check the current schedule before you go.
Last updated: October 2026
The Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival is Alabama’s premier wildlife arts celebration — free, walkable, and packed with fine art, DockDogs, field-sport demonstrations, and live conservation exhibits. Come for the art, stay for the dogs, and enjoy a fall Saturday in one of the state’s most scenic river towns.
