Festival History
To make a great festival, you need great dreamers.
Many inspirations coalesced to form the Black Swamp Arts Festival. Thousands of community-builders, leaders, supporters, and volunteers along the way. We build, we grow, we support, and we enjoy the arts! Enjoy a festival made by and for dreamers.
Fun facts:
- Festival started in 1993
- Leon Redbone was scheduled to play the first Festival and there was a torrential downpour. His performance was moved into the St. Mark's Lutheran Church for an intimate crowd. Downtown merchants heavily invested in the festival so it could continue.
- The festival is all volunteer-run on community support for the arts.
Timeline of the Black Swamp Arts Festival, in reverse chronological order:
30th Anniversary. Festival receives the Governor's Award for the Arts for Community Development and Participation.
Ranked No. 1 Festival in Ohio and 61st nationally over the past decade by Sunshine Artists. Poster designer: Amy Karlovec, wins best overall poster from Sunshine Artists. Juried Art Shows expands to 3 days and opens on Friday.
2020 Festival cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Poster Designer: Kat Pahl. Highest grossing Festival ever.
Poster Designer: Erin Holmberg. Winner Sunshine Artist Poster. Due to inclement weather, the outdoor activities of the Festival had to be cancelled on Sunday. The Festival quickly adapted to the weather and worked with local businesses to coordinate indoor performing arts sessions. Ohio Magazine Readers Choice: Best Festival in Ohio, 2018
25th Anniversary. Poster designer: Amy Karlovec. The 2017 BSAF poster won the Silver ADDY Award and Sunshine Artist most creative concept. Festival won Sunshine Artist top 200. Ohio Magazine Readers Choice: Best Festival in Ohio, 2017.
Issac Smith wins Best of Show for his hyper-realistic drawings. Poster Designer Erin Holmberg. Young locals shine. Flick fiddles;
Hutchinson sings jingles and more.
Poster Designer: Will Santino. Poster won by Sunshine Artist Magazine. Art of Beer starts.
Poster Designer: Amy Karlovec Chalk Walk makes its mark
Poster Designer: Matt and Amy Karlovec
Royal visit from Mali
Art show gets Zapplication
Gang on 35 snaps up fun (photographer volunteers)
Youth Arts with historic twist
Last call for Redbone performance
Sunshine Artist honors 2005 poster
Peanut Butter & Rock at Cla-Zel
Made the Sunshine Artist list
Festival’s annual budget tops $100,000
2002 Festival in top 300, Art Fair Source Book
Bryan Painting Award established, Beer Garden additional expansion
Heritage 2000
Youth Arts Stage started, Rockers hold forth at Howard's, Beer Garden expansion
Wood County Invitational inaugurated
Books in the Black
Artist field tops 100
Chubby Carrier headlines
Local donors invest in the Festival to keep it alive.
Festival is born in a deluge.
Experience the Black Swamp Arts Festival with us!
