Arts in Action
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Arts in Action is a free, community-centered arts celebration returning to downtown Port Angeles after over a decade away. Originally launched in 1965, the festival ran for 49 years as a beloved summer tradition, transforming Laurel Street and then the City Pier into a vibrant corridor of art, music, and shared experience. For generations of residents and visitors, Arts in Action was a place to gather, discover creativity, and connect with one another in the heart of the city.
In 2026, Arts in Action returns under the stewardship of the Juan de Fuca Foundation for the Arts, honoring the event’s rich history while reimagining it for today’s community. The revival reflects both a respect for the festival’s legacy and a renewed commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and connection. In a time when many cultural experiences are increasingly costly or screen-based, Arts in Action restores the simple power of gathering together in person to celebrate creativity.
The event will take place August 1 and 2, 2026, on Laurel Street in downtown Port Angeles, utilizing the original festival footprint that longtime community members remember. Festivities will kick off the evening before, on Friday, July 31, with a free Concert on the Pier, setting the tone for a weekend rooted in shared experience and community pride.
Arts in Action is intentionally free to attend, removing fi nancial barriers and welcoming people of all ages and backgrounds. The festival will feature live music, artists creating work on site, youth and family activities, community art projects, and interactive experiences that encourage participation rather than passive attendance. By prioritizing engagement, the event invites attendees to not only witness art, but to be part of it.
At its core, Arts in Action is about connection: connecting people to artists, neighbors to one another, and visitors to the cultural life of Port Angeles. The event activates downtown during peak summer season, supporting local businesses while creating a lively, welcoming atmosphere for residents and visitors alike. It also reinforces the Juan de Fuca Foundation for the Arts’ mission to increase access to the arts and strengthen community well-being through shared cultural experiences.
We’re eager to get back to celebrating the arts and the area.
We’re starting with a strong base, enough excitement and activity to impress our visitors, but we have big plans to expand. While the sandcastle component that became the focus in later years probably won’t come back, we are already researching chalk art as a potential addition for future years.
By reviving Arts in Action, the Juan de Fuca Foundation for the Arts is not simply bringing back a festival. It is restoring a tradition that helped defi ne summer in Port Angeles for nearly half a century and ensuring that its next chapter remains rooted in what made it special from the start: free access, creativity in public spaces, and the simple, powerful act of coming together.
In 2026, Arts in Action returns under the stewardship of the Juan de Fuca Foundation for the Arts, honoring the event’s rich history while reimagining it for today’s community. The revival reflects both a respect for the festival’s legacy and a renewed commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and connection. In a time when many cultural experiences are increasingly costly or screen-based, Arts in Action restores the simple power of gathering together in person to celebrate creativity.
The event will take place August 1 and 2, 2026, on Laurel Street in downtown Port Angeles, utilizing the original festival footprint that longtime community members remember. Festivities will kick off the evening before, on Friday, July 31, with a free Concert on the Pier, setting the tone for a weekend rooted in shared experience and community pride.
Arts in Action is intentionally free to attend, removing fi nancial barriers and welcoming people of all ages and backgrounds. The festival will feature live music, artists creating work on site, youth and family activities, community art projects, and interactive experiences that encourage participation rather than passive attendance. By prioritizing engagement, the event invites attendees to not only witness art, but to be part of it.
At its core, Arts in Action is about connection: connecting people to artists, neighbors to one another, and visitors to the cultural life of Port Angeles. The event activates downtown during peak summer season, supporting local businesses while creating a lively, welcoming atmosphere for residents and visitors alike. It also reinforces the Juan de Fuca Foundation for the Arts’ mission to increase access to the arts and strengthen community well-being through shared cultural experiences.
We’re eager to get back to celebrating the arts and the area.
We’re starting with a strong base, enough excitement and activity to impress our visitors, but we have big plans to expand. While the sandcastle component that became the focus in later years probably won’t come back, we are already researching chalk art as a potential addition for future years.
By reviving Arts in Action, the Juan de Fuca Foundation for the Arts is not simply bringing back a festival. It is restoring a tradition that helped defi ne summer in Port Angeles for nearly half a century and ensuring that its next chapter remains rooted in what made it special from the start: free access, creativity in public spaces, and the simple, powerful act of coming together.
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Where is it happening?
N Laurel St, Port Angeles, WA 98362, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherJuan de Fuca Foundation for the Arts
