Columbia Festival of the Arts

06/19/2024

Thank you to everyone who came out to see us for this year's LakeFest! It was an incredible time and we are thrilled to be ushering in the summer season for the community.

LEFT SOMETHING BEHIND AT THE FESTIVAL? We have a small collection of Lost & Find items collected by the amazing finder-elves in our volunteer team. You can reach out to our volunteer coordinator at [email protected] if you're looking for one of your little treasures.

Keep an eye out here for more events in the meantime. Here's to another amazing summer!

06/16/2024

It’s the final day of the Free LakeFest Weekend, and we’re ending it strong! From 12pm – 7pm, see performances from Song Riot, Washington Chinese Traditional Orchestra, Swapdog Clark (Anthony Clark), The Po' Ramblin' Boys, and the Glenelg High School Bands and Marching Unit Jazz Ensemble. Starting at 11am, you can go shopping through the juried, invitational art show, indulge in delicious festival foods, and show off your artistic skills with interactive exhibits. For more details, visit our website at columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend. Come celebrate Father's Day with us!

06/15/2024

Tonight at Free LakeFest Weekend, it's a party - rain or shine! Grab some dinner from our food vendors, a drink in the beer & wine garden, and stick around for performances by Brass Queens, Everyday Everybody, Bywater Call and Oh He Dead. Plus, you can shop the fine arts & crafts show until 8pm. Will you be there?

06/15/2024

The Free LakeFest Weekend is in full-swing, and our Saturday performance lineup is jam-packed! Come out rain or shine to see live music performances by Wilde Lake Steel Drum Band, Patuxent Jazz Band, Percussion Discussion Africa, Tap Band, Brass Queens, Everyday Everybody, Bywater Call and Oh He Dead from 12pm to 10:30pm. The festival opens at 11am, so get here early to shop the over 50 talented artisans, participate in interactive arts activities for all ages, and enjoy the tasty festival fare. For all festival details like parking, hours, and performance times, visit columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend.

06/14/2024

We have an incredible performance lineup to kick off the Free LakeFest Weekend! Bring your chair and from 5pm to 10:30pm, enjoy a night of lively tunes and soulful grooves featuring performances by tenacious pop-rock artist LJR , indie-jazz duo Deerlady, Cuban rapper and poet Telmary Diaz, and the incomparable Bette Smith. Plus, shop from over 50 amazing artisans and enjoy a variety of festival foods. Explore the full schedule of events on our website at columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend.

06/14/2024

It's finally here! Starting at 5pm, come join us for the first day of the LakeFest Free Weekend at the Columbia Downtown Lakefront. Come out rain or shine, and make sure to bring chairs to watch your favorite live music performances on the LakeStage. There is free parking (including Handicap Parking) available nearby at the Wincopin Circle parking garages. Visitors can also park at the Sterrett Place lot located at 5575 Sterrett Place. We're excited to see you soon! For more details and a complete festival schedule, visit columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend.

06/13/2024

There’s lots to do at the Free LakeFest Weekend starting TOMORROW, June 14-16! Check out this map to help you get around the festival. Looking for a particular artist? Check out the full list on our website. https://columbiafestival.org/lakefest-map-booth-info/

06/13/2024

Don't forget - the juried, invitational fine arts & crafts show is back THIS weekend at the Free LakeFest Weekend! Shop over 50 incredible artisans representing a variety of media, including functional and wearable art at price ranges that fits everyone's budget. Get a preview of their work on our online gallery and come shop from them in person! columbiafestival.org/LakeFest-free-weekend

06/12/2024

Free LakeFest Weekend is almost here, and our stomachs are grumbling! Check out this full food lineup that you can enjoy this weekend. It’s not too late to grab a friend and plan to join us at the Lakefront! Check out our website at columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend for all the details.

06/11/2024

This year's Umbrellas Abound contest was inspired by the theme Community, Connection, and Culture. Stop by Free LakeFest Weekend and vote for your favorite while you spend the day enjoying live music, shopping the fine arts & crafts show, and eating delicious festival fare. Learn more about the FREE weekend, June 14-16, at columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend.

06/06/2024

Free LakeFest Weekend has the treats! Besides delicious savory options, we have snacks, drinks and desserts all weekend long, June 14-16, for you to try! Make sure you stop by Bmore Mochichi, Kona Ice of Howard County, AppleCore's Bake Shoppe, Pretzelphoria , Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee of Columbia, Maryland, Wight Tea Company, Nina's Cookies Explosion, and Firenzes Gelato. See the full line up of vendors at columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend.

06/05/2024

Show off your own artistic talents all day at the Free LakeFest Weekend with three interactive exhibits! Start on Friday night by making your own tie dye reusable napkin. Next, paint your memories, thoughts, and images of the LakeFest festival on a large canvas board to help create a collaborate work of art, put on by Pinot's Palette Ellicott City. Then, place a color-coded plaque with a personal phrase on an "emotional support human" figure while reflecting on the importance of personal mental wellness, sponsored by the Horizon Foundation. For more details and a complete list of festival events, visit columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend.

06/04/2024

Sunday, June 16th, Free LakeFest Weekend LakeStage lineup features Song Riot, Washington Chinese Traditional Orchestra, Swampdog Clark (Anthony Clark), The Po' Ramblin' Boys, and the Glenelg High School Bands and Marching Unit Jazz Ensemble to round things out. It's the perfect main event for your Father's Day or background sound while you check out the free family-friendly kids activities! See the full schedule now on our website. columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend

05/30/2024

Where can you hear local musicians, Ugandan drummers, R&B, retro groove, and southern rock (just to name a few) all in one day? The Free LakeFest Weekend LakeStage! Join us on Saturday, June 15th from 12pm to 10:30pm for an all-day array of live music, including performances by Centennial & Wilde Lake Steel Bands, Patuxent Jazz Band, Percussion Discussion Africa, Tap Band, Brass Queens, Everyday Everybody, Bywater Call and Oh He Dead. For a full lineup of the FREE festival, visit our website. columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend

05/29/2024

Free LakeFest Weekend kicks off Friday, June 14th with a dynamic live music lineup on the LakeStage! From 5pm to 10:30pm, you'll be captivated by tenacious pop-rock artist LJR, indie-jazz duo Deerlady, Cuban rapper and poet Telmary Diaz, and the incomparable Bette Smith. Check out our full weekend lineup now on our website columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend.

05/28/2024

We think one of the BEST parts about the Free LakeFest Weekend is the lineup of food trucks and vendors! There's enough to have every meal, June 14-16th! Plan your orders for Ekiben, Althea's Almost Famous, Blowfish Poke & Grill, Cousins Maine Lobster (Sunday), Koshary Corner (Friday/Saturday), Roaming Burger, and TacoJoint_MD Food Truck. Check out the rest of what LakeFest has to offer at columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend.

05/23/2024

The Po' Ramblin' Boys are at once exactly what you would expect and not at all what you would expect from a tattooed East Tennessee Bluegrass outfit. Find out why on Sunday, June 16 at 4pm to help close out Free LakeFest Weekend! Learn more at columbiafestival.org/LakeFest-free-weekend.

05/23/2024

The FREE LakeFest Weekend features three days of live music live on the Downtown Columbia LakeStage! June 14-16. http://bit.ly/3wNbqAy columbiafestival.org

05/22/2024

Bywater Call is a roof-rattling southern rock and soul band from Toronto, Canada, sure to WOW you at Free LakeFest Weekend! You can see them live on stage Saturday, June 15, at 7:30pm and enjoy this topnotch blues group featuring Megan Parnell and a 7-piece band. See the rest of the LakeStage lineup at columbiafestival.org/LakeFest-free-weekend.

05/21/2024

Get carried away by the "infectious and soulful sound" (Washington Post) of DC natives Oh He Dead during Free LakeFest Weekend on Saturday, June 15th at 9pm. Their fun, poppy rock vibes will have you wishing the night would never end. See what else is in the lineup at columbiafestival.org/LakeFest-free-weekend and plan to spend your weekend with us!

05/20/2024

Our juried, invitational art show returns to Free LakeFest Weekend, June 14-16, with more than 50 extraordinary artisans displaying and selling their one-of-a-kind artwork representing a breadth of media, including functional and wearable art, at a wide range of prices. Take a look at their work on our online gallery and plan to meet up with friends to shop the artists in person! columbiafestival.org/LakeFest-free-weekend

05/16/2024

We're throwing a party at the Columbia lakefront and you're invited! Join us at Free LakeFest Weekend on Saturday, June 15th at 4:30pm and dance around to the music of Brass Queens, a 10-piece brass band whose sound is deeply inspired by the music of New Orleans mixed with the flair of modern pop. There's food, family-fun, and more - visit columbiafestival.org/LakeFest-free-weekend for more details.

05/15/2024

Bette Smith and her life-affirming blend of soulful rock will come to Columbia for the first time after winning rave reviews from American Songwriter, Billboard, and the New York Times. Don't miss her at Free LakeFest Weekend on June 14th at 9pm and experience a stompin' good time to end a perfect night at the lakefront! Stop by early and grab dinner at one of our amazing food trucks and shop the Invitational Fine Arts & Crafts Show. Find our more at columbiafestival.org/LakeFest-free-weekend.

05/09/2024

Is it summer yet? Check out the newest video from our Friday night LakeFest headliner Bette Smith! Don’t miss her thrilling set on Friday June 14 at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront. She’s earned rave reviews from American Songwriter, Billboard, and the New York Times and has toured with artists such as Drive-By Truckers and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. More on the Free LakeFest Weekend at columbiafestival.org https://youtu.be/k0jf1jUeodo?si=ZnEpyWIi4Bw4hjEu

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05/09/2024

Rapper and poet Telmary Diaz will bring her distinctive voice and empowering message all the way from Cuba to the Free LakeFest Weekend, Friday, June 14th at 7:15pm! As a rapper, Telmary uses her distinctive voice, at times deep and soulful, at times fast and aggressive to proclaim a positive, empowering message that contrasts with the genre’s commercial norm. See the full lineup at columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend.

05/08/2024

Spanning genres from jazz to indie rock, Deerlady is slated to perform at the Free LakeFest Weekend, Friday, June 14th at 6pm! Mali Obomsawin Music is a bassist, singer and composer from Odanak First Nation, and one of GRAMMY.com’s top ten emerging jazz artists to watch this year. She's joined by Magdalena Abrego, whose music confronts issues of musical tradition through genre-bending improvisation. Visit columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend for more details and a complete festival schedule.

05/07/2024

Free LakeFest Weekend has a ton to offer when it comes to FREE, kid-friendly fun! Don't miss the outrageously funny Black Cherry Puppet Theater, life size Monster Mural coloring wall, and interactive arts & crafts projects with KidzArt Howard County. Check out the full schedule of events at columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend.

05/07/2024

Larry Steven’s Art will make you happy, inspire you and reach into your heart! His unique blend of vibrant colors, diverse themes and freedom will move you and find its way into your soul! What sets Larry apart from the rest? Simply… Larry-for he is the ART and the experience of meeting Larry is transcending because they are one! His Art is channeled from deep inside and his soul connects to everyone! Larry has been an artist for a lifetime and his Art is all over the world. He presently has a gallery in the Columbia Mall. See more of his work as part of the Invitational Fine Arts & Crafts Show at the Free LakeFest Weekend, June 14-16. https://columbiafestival.org/gallery/larry-stevens-art/

05/02/2024

Mark your calendars! Columbia Festival returns to the Downtown Columbia Lakefront with its Free LakeFest Weekend featuring 3 days of live music, an invitational fine arts & crafts show, kids’ entertainment and crafts, a variety of activities for all ages, and fabulous festival food. This year's LakeFest is being produced by the Merriweather Arts and Culture Center as part of its ongoing collaboration with the Columbia Festival of the Arts. Visit columbiafestival.org/lakefest-free-weekend for more details and a complete festival schedule.