About the GGAF

The first full weekend in November each year is time for Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, one of the best-regarded, most popular arts festivals in America. The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is a three-day, juried art show in Pensacola’s Seville Square. Each year, it draws more than 200 of the nation’s best painters, potters, sculptors, jewelers, graphic artists, craftsmen, mixed-media artists and others who have been gifted with the ability to turn thought into beauty. They’ll be competing for your attention and $25,000 in cash awards.

The Festival also features a special area set aside for Heritage Arts: demonstrations of crafts of the past, including blacksmithing, engraving, spinning, weaving and other skills.

The Children's Arts Festival is next door in Bartram Park, featuring numerous hands-on artistic opportunities provided free of charge. Projects include face painting, clay play, a flower shop, button creations, sand art, sidewalk art, and a balloon man. There will be glitter, glue, sequins and the likes for children to make things like masks, crowns, magic wands, and jewelry. The Children’s Festival is open Friday for children with special needs from selected schools and is open to everyone or Saturday and Sunday.

Also in Bartram Park is the Student Art Show, which showcases the talents of both private and public school students of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. Over 2,000 pieces of art from elementary, middle and high school students will be displayed 

Live musicians hit the right notes from two stages with sounds ranging from Zydeco, Cajun, jazz and blues to classical. The performing arts stage showcases theater, folk and ballet dance.

Food and beverages will be available from a variety of vendors, including some of Pensacola’s best-known restaurants.

Admission to the festival is free, as are programs and maps. Posters and t-shirts are available. Festival hours are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (November 7 and 8) and 9 a.m. until 4 p.m on Sunday (November 9.) More information is available at www.ggaf.org.

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