Kings Drive Art Walk 2026

EVENT INFORMATION

Festival in the Park

presents

the 16th annual

“Kings Drive Art Walk”

SATURDAY  May 2, 2026 11:00 am – 6:00 pm

SUNDAY    May 3, 2026 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Since the fall of 1964, Festival in the Park has brought Charlotteans from all walks of life together to enjoy arts, crafts, music and family entertainment. With the mission of bringing the community together by celebrating the arts, the Festival Board is excited to broaden its reach and to announce a spring fine arts event, the Kings Drive Art Walk.

We invite you to participate in our spring event which will be held along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. This reclaimed natural waterway between East Morehead Street and Pearle Street Bridge along Kings Drive is a work of art itself boasting beautiful arbors, spring gardens, a spectacular fountain and plentiful terraces. The greenway is also bordered by many favorite local restaurants and boutiques. With a focus on fine and emerging artists, this spring festival is sure to become another beloved annual fine arts outing for the entire family!

Festival in the Park 

1409 East Boulevard 

Charlotte, NC 28203

704.338.1060

GENERAL INFORMATION

ELIGIBILITY

Exhibit spaces are awarded based on the quality and variety of the exhibitor pool. Qualified previous exhibitors of Kings Drive Art Walk are valued. Any exhibitor who commits to demonstrate their medium on a full-time basis will receive preferred location. Please specify needs for successfully demonstrating.

All work to be exhibited must be original and attributable solely to the display artist. The Event takes no commission for any art sales.

The Event’s Exhibitor Committee will screen each artist/exhibitor during the Event, and if the work exhibited does not comply with the rules and regulations or photographs submitted, the artist/exhibitors would be required to leave the Event. Judgment of the Committee in this matter will be final, and no refunds will be given.

KINGS DRIVE ART WALK PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING:

Tent location assignment (all locations are assigned at the Event’s discretion).

One 110 electrical outlet per tent. (Additional fee for electricity is $60.) Each outlet will pull a maximum of four (4) 100-watt spots. NO MORE than four (4) 100-watt spots are allowed. 

NO EXCEPTIONS. Vendors will be required to lower wattage if not in compliance.

All booth locations are easily accessible for set-up/tear down. 

Exhibitor parking.  

24-hour security.

KINGS DRIVE ART WALK DOES NOT PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING:

Tent. The Fire Marshall requires that each tent be secured at each corner with a minimum of 40 pound weights. Applicant shall ensure that tents are properly roped, braced, anchored and secured in a manner to ensure stability in light of weather conditions. Tents must also include a certificate certifying that tents are fire retardant or must have sewn-in labels indicating the same. Applicant shall be responsible for all damage caused by any tent, including personal injury or death or property damage, whether from a tent that collapses, blows away or is otherwise not secure or in some way unsafe.

Display equipment for setup of exhibit tents.

Tables or chairs.

Electrical equipment (including drop cords, light bulbs, fixtures, etc.)

RULES/REGULATIONS

Festival in the Park’s mission is to bring the community together through the arts. Consistent with this mission, the Festival values and celebrates diversity and strives to provide an inclusive community atmosphere built upon mutual respect, dignity, fairness, and equality where all people are valued regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. The Festival requires that all artists, vendors, concessionaires and other Festival participants treat others in attendance at the Festival, including attendees, staff, volunteers, vendors, artists and concessionaires, with courtesy and respect at all times. Failure to uphold these standards or to act in accordance with the Festival’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive community shall be grounds for immediate dismissal from the Festival, at the sole discretion of Festival personnel.

Awarded spaces are nontransferable. No one will be allowed to exhibit without first having juried into the Event and having paid the exhibition fee to the Event. Shared spaces are not permitted and each exhibitor must jury separately. Displays must fit into designated spaces without infringing upon neighboring spaces.

The opportunity to meet the artist and discuss their work in an informal setting attracts many visitors and increases sales. Artist should demonstrate their craft sometime during Event hours for the benefit of those who attend unless prior approval has been secured in writing from the Director.

Exhibitors must participate for the entire two days of the Event. A signed application is a commitment to show. No refunds will be made 45 days prior to the Event.

Each exhibitor must realize this is an outdoor show; there is no level ground as in mall shows and weather can be uncooperative. There will be no refunds due to inclement weather.

The Event insists all exhibits must be in keeping with good taste. The Director of the Event shall have the sole discretion to require the removal of any work, which he or she determines violates the Event’s rules. Exhibitors shall not display or offer for sale any nudity, adulterated, misbranded or impure articles.

Exhibitors are responsible for maintaining and leaving their assigned areas free of refuse, and in otherwise good condition. Park litter laws prohibit promotional material from being distributed unless approval is obtained in writing from the Director of the Event.

Only the Event is permitted to sell T-shirts, sweat shirts, balloons and caps bearing the Event logo. Any other similar item sold/given away by any other organization during the Event may be confiscated.

Although the Festival in the Park is a Charitable Organization [Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c) (3)], the exhibit fees for the Event are not charitable deductions. However, exhibit fees may qualify as tax-deductible business expenses. Please consult your tax advisor. 

Each exhibitor is responsible for the collection of North Carolina and County of Mecklenburg sales tax (8.25%) and payment thereof to the NC Department of Revenue. (Contact: Registration Info, 704-519-3000 ext #2) The Festival in the Park is not acting as an agent and will not be responsible for the collection or payment of any sales tax. There is no commission charge for any art sales at the Event.

The Event will not be responsible in any way (i) for any theft or damage to the exhibit or equipment or any other property belonging to Vendor or Vendor’s employees who are participating in the Event nor (ii) for any theft or other loss of Vendor’s proceeds or receipts from his/her/its participation in the Event. Since there is no way to insure the property of individuals attending or participating in the Event, either as an exhibitor, an artist displaying artwork or photography on a panel board, or a person or group of persons performing on the stage, each individual must be entirely responsible for his/her own equipment, artwork, crafts, or the like, proceeds, receipts, or any other property of any kind whatsoever, and should plan accordingly, in order to prevent any theft or mysterious disappearance of any of same during the Event.

Registration will begin on Saturday (first day of the Event) from 6:30am to 9:00am. No one will be allowed to check in after 9:00am. You will have till 11:00a.m. to set up before the show opens. There will be early registration on the Friday before (only display set up, as no security available on Friday).

All vehicles must be removed from the exhibit area by 9:00am on each day of the Event. No parking will be allowed on grassy areas and all vehicles will need to be removed from the street as soon as unloaded.

On Sunday closing, vehicles will be allowed in the Park upon the announcement from security. This is for your safety and safety of your patrons.

Failure to abide by the rules and regulations set forth herein may be grounds for removal from the Event. No refund shall be provided for such removal.

Each exhibitor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Event for any damage, cost or liability caused by an act or omission of exhibitor during or related to the Event.

The Fire Marshall requires that each tent be secured at each corner with a minimum of 40 pound weights. Applicant shall ensure that tents are properly roped, braced, anchored and secured in a manner to ensure stability in light of weather conditions. Tents must also include a certificate certifying that tents are fire retardant or must have sewn-in labels indicating the same. Applicant shall be responsible for all damage caused by any tent, including personal injury or death or property damage, whether from a tent that collapses, blows away or is otherwise not secure or in some way unsafe.

JURY DETAILS

Average number of applications submitted each year:

235

Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event:

120

Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event:

0

How returning artists are selected:

Other

Comments for "How are the returning artists selected?"

Selected by a panel of jurors

Vendors that are excluded/ineligible:

Buy/Sell is not allowed.

How images are viewed by jurors:

Computer monitor

Within a medium category, applications are sorted and viewed by:

Random Order

Jurors score applications using the following scale:

Yes, No, or Maybe

Number of jurors scoring applications:

3-4

The show organizes the jurors for a:

Single jury panel that scores applications for all medium categories

Jurors score

Convened as a group in one room

Am I allowed to observe the jury process?

Jury process is closed

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