Festival
BSAF is a free arts & live music festival held the first full weekend after Labor Day. Ride the shuttle - it makes parking a breeze. We hope to see you here.
Experience three days of free concerts and fine art shows in historic downtown Bowling Green, Ohio. The Black Swamp Arts Festival is an award-winning art festival and the largest free live music festival in Ohio. Fun fact: The Black Swamp Arts Festival is a non-profit run entirely by volunteers.
Admission is free. Seriously, there are no tickets. It's a great time for all.
We are looking forward to the 31st Black Swamp Arts Festival.
Great Eats
At the Black Swamp Arts Festival, you'll find a diverse vendor selection with something for everyone.
The Food Vendor Application period for the 2026 Black Swamp Arts Festival is OPEN. Deadline for the 2026 Black Swamp Arts Festival is April 10, 2026. Apply here
2025 Food Lineup
Food trucks are located next to the Main Stage behind the East side of the street to the South Main Street businesses .
J&K Sirloin Tips: Sirloin Tips, Mushrooms, Mashed Potatoes
Big Meals on Wheels: Chicken, Ribs, Chili Dogs, Polish Sausage, Burgers, Pulled Pork, Sides
Cindy’s Concessions: Funnel Cakes, Elephant Ears, French Waffles
Kabob It!: Chicken, Falafel, Hummous, Rice, Salad, Baklava, and Pita
Thai Thai: Chicken on a stick, Veggie Pad Thai Noodles, Veggie Lo Mein, Veggie Spring Rolls, Fried Rice, Cashew Chicken
Eric's Ice Cream: Floats, Milkshakes, Malts, Flurries, Scoops, Sundaes and Freezes
Rusty's Road Trip: Lobster rolls, Lake Erie Yellow Perch, Crab Rolls, Crab Eggrolls, fish tacos, Grilled Cheese, Vegan Fried Tofu Tacos
Tom's BBQ: Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, Hungarian Dogs, Italian Sausages, Grilled Chicken, Chicken Chunks, Hot Dogs, Fresh Cut Fries, Ribbon Fries
Manny's Munchies: Pretzel Calzones and Soft Pretzels
Moore Vending: Grilled Cheeses and Melt Sandwiches
Pisanello's Pizza: Fresh Handmade Pizza
The Tamale Guy: Taco Plate, Burrito Plate, Tamales, Quesadillas, Walking Tacos, and Tres Leches Cake
North Food Vendors by Youth Arts
Works-a-Poppin: Kettle Corn
Susie Lynn's Lemonade: Lemonade Shakeups
Snowie Summers: Shaved Ice
Frick’n Good Cookies: Homemade Cookies
South Food Vendors at Washington St.
Detroit Mini Donut: Fresh Made Mini Donuts, Donuts, Lemonade
Only artists and food vendors can have booth space at the Black Swamp Arts Festival. No outside sales or marketing displays are accepted. Take a day off to enjoy the Festival with us.
We strive to be sustainable and we are proud of our recycling program. With your help, we recycle the plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and glass used at the festival. Please dispose of these items in the recycling bins located throughout the festival. Thank you!
Visitors are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles and eating utensils.
On Tap
Beer Garden
1. Go to ID Check
2. Purchase Festival Tickets
3. Purchase Beverage of choice, and enjoy responsibly.
The Beer garden is open to all ages, but only people with checked ID and festival-issued ID bracelets may purchase or consume alcohol. Alcohol may not leave the Beer Garden area (orange snow fencing). Bottled water and Coca-Cola products may be purchased with Festival tickets or cash.
2025 Beverage Lineup
| Labatt Blue Light | 4 Tickets |
| Great Lakes Oktoberfest | 5 Tickets |
| Bell’s Two Hearted IPA | 5 Tickets |
| Bell’s Oberon Wheat Ale | 5 Tickets |
| White Claw Black Cherry | 5 Tickets |
| White Claw Peach | 5 Tickets |
| Mike’s Hard Lemonade | 5 Tickets |
| Sutter Home Cabernet | 5 Tickets |
| Sutter Home Pinot Grigio | 5 Tickets |
| Heineken 0.0 (Non-alcoholic beer) | 4 Tickets |
| Water | 1 Ticket |
Merchandise
Purchase annual Festival merchandise at two locations:
1) Info Booth/ID Check behind the Food Court across from the Main Stage
2) Information Booth on Main Street near the 4 Corners/Community Stage
Beer and wine glasses can also be purchased at each beer trailer.
*Tickets can be used for purchasing merchandise.
2025 Merchandise Lineup
| 2025 Festival Tee | $25 |
| 2025 Quarter Zip | $50 |
| 2025 Hat | $30 |
| Tote Bag | $10 |
| 2024 Hoodie | $30 |
| 2024 Long Sleeve | $20 |
| Garden Stake | $30 |
| Beanie | $10 |
| Puzzle | $15 |
| Beer Koozie | $5 |
| Beer or Wine Glass | $4 |
| Mini Wine Glass | $2 |
| Stickers | $3 |
Help support the Black Swamp Arts Festival (a 501 c-3 non-profit) by purchasing annual glass wares. Festival beer is served in a 14-oz. plastic cup unless you purchase a Festival 16-oz. pint glass which is then filled for the same ticket fee.
Posters are available at the Info Booth on Main Street for a welcome donation (while supplies last).
Thank you for supporting the Black Swamp Arts Festival.
Thank you to everyone involved with the Black Swamp Arts Festival!
About
The Mission of the Black Swamp Arts Festival:
To connect art and the community by presenting an annual arts festival and by promoting the arts in the Bowling Green community.
Vision
The Black Swamp Arts Festival’s purpose is to:
- provide programming that celebrates the Arts
- provide opportunities for artists
- foster pride and involvement in our community
- develop an audience for the arts
This is our "Why." Why we volunteer work to put on a free arts and music festival. It's for us all, our families, our visitors, and friends. Arts for our culture, community, and future.
Committee
Volunteer on the year-round committees. The festival doesn’t magically appear. Okay, it kinda does, but we need lots of great community-builders to make magic with us.
2026 Committee meetings dates:
Meetings are held both virtually and in-person at Falcon Best Western. If you are interested in attending a meeting, please email [email protected].
Tuesdays at 7:00 pm: January 13, February 10, March 10, April 14, May 12, June 9, June 23, July 14, July 28, August 11, 18, 25, September 1, and 8
2026 Festival Committee
Artist Hospitality - Alex Hutchings (Sara Box)
Budget and Finance - Chris Gajewicz
Concessions - Kate Kamphuis and Amy Craft Ahrens
Development - Karly Grilliot and Todd Ahrens
Marketing & PR - Carmen Cano and Marissa Muñiz Kolhoff (Anna Gorman Allard, Katrina Ewing, Jenna Johns, Zak Kolhoff, Kelsey Mackley-Limpf, Victoria Rowinsky, Cassie Watson)
Performing Arts - Cole Christensen
Recycling & Sustainability - John Zanfardino and Megan Reedy (Nick Rubando, Rachel Phipps)
Site and Logistics - Deanna Vatan and Doug Cubberley (Nolan Brennan, Sean Brennan)
Teen Arts - Erica Grossman (Atonn Smeltzer)
Visitor Engagement/Info Booth - Erica Pax Shilova and Cassie Greenlee
Visual Arts - Megan Newlove and Stacy Poca (Bill Donnelly, Josh Poca, and Lloyd Triggs)
Volunteers - Kat Williams
Youth Arts - Kelsey Mohrman and Amanda Speer
2026 Executive Committee
Jamie Richards, Festival Chair
Emily Keegan, Vice Chair
Mark Strang, Past Chair
VACANT, Festival Secretary
Michael Richter, Treasurer (Assistant Treasurer, Kalin Brown)