Columbia Festival of the Arts FREE Lakefest Weekend

The Columbia Festival of the Arts returns to the Downtown Columbia Lakefront with its FREE LakeFest Weekend featuring three days of live music, an invitational fine arts & crafts show, kids’ entertainment and crafts, a variety of activities for all ages, and fabulous festival food fare. New this year is a Juneteenth Cookout hosted by our friends at The 3rd.

VIEW LAKEFEST SCHEDULE

LAKEFEST HOURS

Friday, June 16: 5:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 17: 11:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 18: 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m..

LAKEFEST HOURS

Friday, June 16:

5:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 17:

11:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 18:

11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m..

Lakefest Weekend At a Glance

LAKESTAGE MUSIC LINEUP

Judith Hill • Delfeayo Marsalis • Garifuna Collective • Shamarr Allen • Quitapenas • Buffalo Nichols • DuPont Brass • The JoGo Project • The Sidley’s • Tray Wellington • Deborah Bond • Glenelg Jazz Ensemble • Chasing Straights • HoCo Chinese School • WLHS Steel Drum Band

VIEW LAKESTAGE LINEUP

INVITATIONAL FINE ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW

Friday, June 16: 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. • Saturday, June 17: 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. • Sunday, June 18: 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Our juried, invitational show returns with more than 50 extraordinary artisans displaying and selling their one-of-a-kind artwork representing a breadth of media including functional and wearable art at a wide range of prices. Booths located throughout the Festival grounds.

INVITATIONAL FINE ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW

Friday, June 16:

5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

Saturday, June 17:

11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

Sunday, June 18:

11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Our juried, invitational show returns with more than 50 extraordinary artisans displaying and selling their one-of-a-kind artwork representing a breadth of media including functional and wearable art at a wide range of prices. Booths located throughout the Festival grounds.

VIEW GALLERY

INTERACTIVE ART ACTIVITIES & PERFORMANCE FOR ALL AGES

Throughout the weekend, enjoy a wide variety of interactive arts activities including coloring our Monster Mural, as well as hands on projects from KidzArt Howard County, Pinot’s Palette, and Roll Up N Dye. Other highlights include the return of the Columbia Association Art Center’s Painted Umbrella Exhibit along the lake, performances by BFunk Dance Company, Black Cherry Puppet Theater, and the WLHS Step Team.

VIEW INTERACTIVE ART & ACTIVITIES

FOOD TRUCKS AND SPECIALTY FOODS

If you’ve already started daydreaming about eating your festival food favorites during LakeFest Free Weekend, it’s completely normal – we have too! We will have a variety of delicious packaged and made-to-order options. Check out the complete list of food trucks and specialty foods available!

LIST OF FOOD TRUCKS & SPECIALTIES

Lakefest Schedule

SWAY: Bloom

FRIDAY, JUNE 16

5:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. LakeStage: Chasing Straights
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Painted Umbrellas Exhibit
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Fine Arts and Crafts Show & Sale
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Create Your Own Reusable Napkin - Presented by Roll Up N Dye!
5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Color the Monster Mural
6:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. LakeStage: Shamarr Allen
7:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Black Cherry Puppet Theater
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. LakeStage: Judith Hill
9:15 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. LakeStage: DuPont Brass

SATURDAY, JUNE 17

11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Fine Arts and Crafts Show & Sale
Noon – 12:45 p.m. LakeStage: Howard County Chinese School
Noon – 8:00 p.m. Color the Monster Mural
Noon – 8:00 p.m. Painted Umbrellas Exhibit
12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. KidzArt – Arts & Crafts Activities
1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. LakeStage: Wilde Lake Steel Drum Band
1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Black Cherry Puppet Theater
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. LakeStage: Tray Wellington Band
3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. LakeStage: Buffalo Nichols
4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Black Cherry Puppet Theater
4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. LakeStage: Glenelg Jazz Ensemble
6:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. LakeStage: The Sidley’s
7:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. LakeStage: Quitapenas
9:05 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. LakeStage: Chambers & DesLauriers 

SUNDAY, JUNE 18

11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Visit the Howard County Library Steam Machine!
11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Fine Arts and Crafts Show & Sale
Noon – 5:00 p.m. Color the Monster Mural
Noon – 5:00 p.m. Cookout @ The 3rd
Noon – 5:00 p.m. Painted Umbrellas Exhibit
Noon – 12:20 p.m. LakeStage: Wilde Lake HS Step TEAM
12:20 p.m. – 12:35 p.m. Black Cherry Puppet Theater
12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. KidzArt – Arts & Crafts Activities
12:35 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. LakeStage: Line Dancing with April
1:50 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. Black Cherry Puppet Theater
2:05 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. LakeStage: Deborah Bond
3:25 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. LakeStage: Bfunk Dance Company
4:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. LakeStage: JoGo Project
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. LakeStage: Delfeayo Marsalis

What is The Columbia Festival of the Arts?

The Columbia Festival of the Arts is a multi-weekend event that celebrates music, art, and entertainment. Each Festival kicks off in June with Lakefest, a free, three-day outdoor celebration at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront. Lakefest includes live performances, children's creative activities, a juried fine arts and crafts show, a variety of hands-on workshops for all ages and outdoor festival food fare.

The days following LakeFest are comprised of a variety of free and ticketed events, including performances in multiple disciplines, master classes, workshops, fine art exhibitions, literary offerings, film and frequent opportunities to interact directly with artists.