Black Swamp Arts Festival

Black Swamp Arts Festival Experience three days of free concerts and fine art shows at Ohio's largest free music festival.

Held annually the first weekend after Labor Day, The Black Swamp Arts Festival (BSAF) connects art and the community by presenting an annual arts festival and by promoting the arts in the Bowling Green community.

Artists! Don't forget to apply to Black Swamp Arts Festival's Juried Art Show!BSAF's Juried Art Show is open to artists ...
02/12/2026

Artists! Don't forget to apply to Black Swamp Arts Festival's Juried Art Show!

BSAF's Juried Art Show is open to artists 18 and older that create their own unique art.

Learn more or apply by clicking here: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=13972

Deadline to apply is April 1st

02/08/2026

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Sandy Wicks, one of the founders of Black Swamp Arts Festival.

Sandy was the chair for the festival its first year. As the story goes, much of the first festival was rained out and we had little money to put the festival on for a second year. Sandy was one of the people who selflessly donated money to ensure that the festival happened again.

Sandy continued to be an avid supporter of the festival. For years, she shared her creativity with the festival committee. During festival weekend, the Wicks' family business, Grounds for Thought often donated to the festival, had beautifully creative displays in the window, and often showcased photos from years past and festival posters.

We can't thank Sandy enough for her dedication to not only Black Swamp Arts Festival, but all of Bowling Green. Thank you Sandy for sharing your creativity with the community. Ours hearts go out to Sandy's family and all who knew and loved Sandy as they process this tremendous loss.

The Food Vendor applications for the 2026 Black Swamp Arts Festival is NOW OPEN!If you've ever wanted to have your food ...
02/02/2026

The Food Vendor applications for the 2026 Black Swamp Arts Festival is NOW OPEN!

If you've ever wanted to have your food truck at the Festival, submit your application by April 10th. Visit our website to get the application:https://www.blackswampfest.org/clientuploads/2026/BSAF_Application_2026.pdf

Hey Artists!Our Juried Art Show application is now OPEN!!! Black Swamp Arts Festival's Juried Art Show is open to artist...
02/01/2026

Hey Artists!

Our Juried Art Show application is now OPEN!!! Black Swamp Arts Festival's Juried Art Show is open to artists 18 and older that create their own unique art.

Learn more or apply by clicking here: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=13972

Deadline to apply is April 1st

01/25/2026

SOUND ON! 🎧
This wintery Bowling Green weather has us reminiscing about the sights and sounds our warm September weekend 😎

Here’s a behind the scenes look at something exciting our marketing committee has in the works during our off-season! 🎥
01/24/2026

Here’s a behind the scenes look at something exciting our marketing committee has in the works during our off-season! 🎥

There are many ways you can give back to Black Swamp Arts Festival this  !1. Volunteer your timeWe're 100% volunteer-run...
12/02/2025

There are many ways you can give back to Black Swamp Arts Festival this !

1. Volunteer your time
We're 100% volunteer-run! Whether you volunteer the weekend of the festival or year-round on our Festival Committee, we are always looking for volunteers to help us out. Email [email protected] to learn about position open on our year-round committee.

2. Donate to the Festival
Like many non-profits, we also need money to help pay for things like bands, food, water, tents, and more! We always appreciate any donations that our Friends of the Festival donate. Click here, to donate through our PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2XRTVYPRP2CK4&source=url&ssrt=1764704036330

3. Share on Social Media
One of the easiest ways to help is to spread the word about Black Swamp Arts Festival through social media! Whether it's sharing your own photos or reposting one of the Festival's posts, a simple share could help other people learn about BSAF!

4. Have fun at the Festival
Come out and enjoy Black Swamp Arts Festival in September! We put this on for the community and we love seeing you out having a good time. Make sure you take photos and tell your friends how much fun you had! We can't wait to see you at the best festival ever on September 11, 12, and 13, 2026!

09/24/2025

🎨 Designing the BSAF poster is one of our favorite traditions! It sets the tone, personality, and vibe for the entire festival including the merch!

This year, we had the pleasure of picking the brain of our 2025 poster artist, Kelsey Mackley-Limpf, to learn more about her creative process and the inspiration behind her stunning design!

Special thanks to Juniper Brewing Company for allowing us to use your space to reveal the poster and to Aqua-J for the tunes!

09/15/2025

The 32nd Black Swamp Arts Festival was a true celebration of creativity in all its forms, filled with stunning art, amazing music, delicious food, and the best community around!

🎨🎶🍴 A HUGE thank-you to ALL our incredible volunteers, talented artists, dynamic bands, dedicated vendors, and every single person who made this year’s festival unforgettable. We couldn’t do it without you!

Share your favorite moments, pieces of art, or food with us in the comments below!

Until next year, let’s keep the spirit of art alive in BG! 🧡🦎

SPONSORS:
Ohio Arts Council
National Endowment for the Arts
Arts Midwest
Bowling Green Kiwanis Club - Ohio
Rotary Club of Bowling Green, OH
Labatt USA
Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce
WTOL 11

Address

P. O Box 532
Bowling Green, OH
43402

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