The Fall Cottonwood Art Festival returns to Cottonwood Park in Richardson October 3–4, 2026, just days after being named Best Art Festival in the Dallas Observer's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards.
Admission is free. The festival runs Saturday from 10 AM–7 PM and Sunday from 10 AM–5 PM at 1321 W. Belt Line Road. Visitors can browse work from roughly 180–200 juried artists, hear live music on two stages, visit the food court and craft beer garden, and take children to the hands-on ArtStop area. This fall's featured artist is Houston-based Brazilian painter Tony Paraná. Cottonwood Art Fest
Official Cottonwood Art Festival website
Cottonwood Art Festival 2026 at a Glance
Dates | October 3–4, 2026 |
Saturday | 10 AM–7 PM |
Sunday | 10 AM–5 PM |
Location | Cottonwood Park, 1321 W. Belt Line Rd., Richardson |
Admission | Free |
Art | Roughly 180–200 juried artists |
Music | Two live stages |
Kids | ArtStop hands-on art area |
Featured Artist | Tony Paraná |
This Isn't Really an Arts-and-Crafts Fair
That's probably the first distinction worth making.
Cottonwood receives roughly 1,400 artist submissions and selects about 200 artists to exhibit museum-quality work. Cottonwood Art Fest
The festival dates all the way back to 1969, when local artists put down blankets and easels in Cottonwood Park hoping to sell their work.
More than five decades later, it has become one of Richardson's signature events—and this year it picked up another accolade when Dallas Observer readers selected it as the area's Best Art Festival for 2026. Cottonwood Art Fest
That history is part of why Cottonwood feels different from a pop-up marketplace that happens to include art.
Who Is the Fall 2026 Featured Artist?
This year's featured artist is Tony Paraná, a Houston painter originally from Bahia, Brazil.
His work draws from Brazilian culture, family, community, coastal landscapes and the street festivals he remembers from childhood. Beyond painting, Paraná founded the Montrose Art Society and created Mobile Art Space for the Artists, a repurposed shipping container used as a free community gallery and creative space. Cottonwood Art Fest
His original work Circle of Life became the centerpiece of this fall's commemorative Cottonwood poster, unveiled September 14. Paraná will also be at the festival, giving visitors an opportunity to meet him and see his work in person. Cottonwood Art Fest
What Kind of Art Will You Find?
Cottonwood is a juried fine-art show rather than a single-medium festival.
The artist booths include painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, glass, mixed media, fiber and metal work.
One of the reasons I'd leave time simply to wander is that you aren't looking at reproductions from one gallery. You're walking booth-to-booth and meeting working artists from around the country.
And for 2026, there's a nice local connection tucked inside the larger national show.
Look for the Emerging Artists
Cottonwood's 2026 Emerging Artist program includes students from Richardson ISD schools, including Richardson High School, J.J. Pearce, Berkner and Lake Highlands High School. Cottonwood Art Fest
That matters because Cottonwood doesn't just bring professional artists into Richardson for a weekend. Its Visiting Artist Program also places participating professional artists directly into Richardson ISD classrooms for demonstrations, conversations and hands-on arts experiences. Cottonwood Art Fest
That's the kind of local detail that gets lost when an event is reduced to “things to do this weekend.”
What Else Is There Besides the Art?
Cottonwood has live music on both the Lakeside Courtyard Main Stage and Acoustic Stage, along with a food court and craft beer garden. Cottonwood Art Fest
For children, ArtStop is the hands-on part of the festival, with activities that have included weaving, painting and clay. Cottonwood Art Fest
There's also the annual Chalk the Walk art contest for artists ages 12 and older, with up to $500 in cash prizes. Cottonwood Art Fest
Can You Bike to Cottonwood Art Festival?
Yes—and this is a useful option that's easy to miss.
Cottonwood partners with the Richardson Bicycle Coalition and BikeDFW to provide a complimentary staffed bike valet, so cyclists have a designated secure place to leave their bikes while visiting the festival. Cottonwood Art Fest
Accessible parking is available near the front entrance along Belt Line Road and behind the park off Dumont Drive. Cottonwood Art Fest
Why Cottonwood Says Something About Richardson
I wrote about Richardson earlier this summer because the city has become much easier to experience as an entire weekend rather than simply a place you drive through on the way somewhere else.
CityLine has developed its own programming. Galatyn has changed. Richardson's restaurant bench has grown. And Cottonwood remains one of the city's longstanding cultural anchors.
Read: Richardson's Late-Summer Rhythm — CityLine, Galatyn and the Runway to Cottonwood Park
There's also a geographic detail I think is worth noticing.
Several of this year's Emerging Artists come from Lake Highlands High School. Lake Highlands is in Dallas, but much of it is served by Richardson ISD. That's one of those North Texas quirks that makes understanding this area from a map alone surprisingly difficult. Cottonwood Art Fest
I've lived and worked in North Texas my entire life, and events like Cottonwood are one of the reasons I don't think a community can be explained only through home prices, school ratings or commute times.
What people build, preserve and return to year after year tells you something too.
Cottonwood has been doing that in Richardson since 1969.
Cottonwood Art Festival 2026 FAQs
When is the Fall Cottonwood Art Festival?
Saturday, October 3 from 10 AM–7 PM and Sunday, October 4 from 10 AM–5 PM. Cottonwood Art Fest
Where is Cottonwood Art Festival?
Cottonwood Park, 1321 W. Belt Line Road in Richardson. Cottonwood Art Fest
Is Cottonwood Art Festival free?
Yes. Admission is free. Richardson TX Neighbor
How many artists are there?
The festival says it selects roughly 200 artists from approximately 1,400 submissions; its Fall 2026 announcement lists 180 participating artists. Cottonwood Art Fest
Who is the 2026 Fall featured artist?
Houston-based Brazilian painter Tony Paraná. Cottonwood Art Fest
Is there live music?
Yes. Music runs on the Lakeside Courtyard Main Stage and Acoustic Stage. Cottonwood Art Fest
Are there activities for children?
Yes. ArtStop offers hands-on art activities. Cottonwood Art Fest
