Bonita Springs National Art Festival

Name: Bonita Springs National Art Festival

Dates: This festival is held on:

• January 11-12, 2025
• February 8 & 9, 2025
• March 1 & 2, 2025

Hours. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Place: Bonita Springs National takes place in Riverside Park on Old 41 in historic downtown Bonita Springs. (For GPS purposes, the street address is 10450 Reynold Street or 27000 Old 41 Road (34135).) [At one time, the venue for Bonita Springs National had been The Promenade at Bonita Bay, a luxuriant, upscale 115,000-square-foot restaurant, retail and office center positioned on 10 acres between Naples to the south, Fort Myers to the north and Sanibel Island and Captiva to the west.]

National Ranking: Over the years, the Bonita Springs National Art Festivals have been consistently ranked by trade journal Sunshine Artist Magazine as one of the finest in the entire country, reaching the lofty ranking of #2 in the nation in 2018.

Milestone. This year, Bonita Springs National celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Description. Because of the ambiance of the location, the region’s gorgeous winter weather and the sophistication of the 20,000 + festival-goers who flock to Riverside Park, all three festivals draw the very best artists from across the United States, Canada, South America and even Europe. The festivals stress quality and originality, with artists juried into the shows exhibiting and selling original paintings, drawings, pastels, photography, handcrafted jewelry, clay works and ceramics, glass art, metal sculpture and more.

“[Bonita Springs National] attracts more of the connoisseurs who have a nice feel for what’s in the artwork,” says artist Darlene Pearse, who has participated in more than a dozen festivals. “I never tire of talking to people who are intrigued at how my paintings go from concept to concrete form. It’s amazing how much interest there is of the visitors’ desire to unearth the creative process. It’s really an enjoyable experience. Although there will be big ticket items for serious collectors, there will be opportunities to pick up original pieces at affordable prices.”

Organizer. Arts Bonita

Community Impact. Proceeds from the festival stay in Bonita Springs and are used by Arts Bonita support scholarships for emerging young artists and arts education programs benefiting underserved students in Title 1 schools. Last year, Arts Bonita distributed over $150,000 in scholarships, making a significant impact on arts education in the community.

“Our National Art Festivals play a dual role in serving our beloved community, first, by bringing the best of national and regional artists to the heart of Bonita Springs,” said Alyona Ushe, Executive Director of Arts Bonita. “And by raising crucial funds to provide opportunities for our youth to blossom.”

To help raise vital funds for its scholarship programs, Arts Bonita suggests a $10 donation from each person attending the festival.

Director: The director for these festivals is Maureen Roberts.

Maureen brings over 35 years of global business leadership to Arts Bonita. As a seasoned professional in event development and operations management, she has successfully organized and directed nationally recognized outdoor art shows in Naples, FL, and launched a prestigious fine art show in Marco Island in 2024.

“I’m honored to lead this iconic event and work with our team to present an unforgettable experience for artists and visitors alike,” says Roberts. “Our goal is to showcase the finest works of art and maintain the festival’s legacy of excellence while also supporting community initiatives that make the arts accessible to all.”

Fast Facts. In the past, and on average, each festival involves:

• 378 volunteer hours on festival weekend.
• 500 phone calls to recruit volunteers for the festival.
• $1,000 spent on average by each artist in the show on hotels, travel and expenses to come to the festival.
• 16 working hours each day the week of the festival for its director.
• 1,700 e-mails (plus phone calls) from artists pertaining to the show.
• 211 artists in the show.
• 20,000 attendees.

Website:  For more information, please telephone 239-489-8989 or visit http://artsbonita.org/artfest/.

Things to Do:  https://www.visitfortmyers.com/see-do

Places to Stay:  https://www.visitfortmyers.com/stay

Revised January 3, 2025.