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 2025 Festival is now OPEN! Click here for the 2025 application
2024 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
Frankly Plant-Based Kitchen: VMac n Cheese, Coleslaw, Fries, Chili Fries, Cheese Fries, Potato Salad
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
Beeez Nuts: Pre-packaged, candied and coated nuts
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.
2024 Beverage Lineup
| Labatt Blue Light | 4 Tickets |
| Great Lakes Oktoberfest | 5 Tickets |
| Bell’s Two Hearted IPA | 5 Tickets |
| Bell’s Oberon | 5 Tickets |
| White Claw Black Cherry | 5 Tickets |
| White Claw Peach | 5 Tickets |
| Mike’s Hard Lemonade | 5 Tickets |
| Red Wine | 5 Tickets |
| White Wine | 5 Tickets |
| Heineken 0.0 (Non-alcoholic beer) | 4 Tickets |
| Pop | 2 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.
2024 Merchandise Lineup
| 2024 Festival Tee | $25 |
| 2024 Festival Hoodie | $50 |
| 2024 Long Sleeve | $35 |
| 2024 Hat | $30 |
| Tote Bag | $10 |
| Beanie | $20 |
| Puzzle | $25 |
| Garden Flag | $15 |
| BSAF Ornament | $10 |
| Bottle Opener | $8 |
| Car Coaster (Pair of 2) | $5 |
| Beer or Wine Glass | $5 |
| Stickers | $3 |
| Buttons | $1 |
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 usually available for a welcome donation.
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.
2025 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 14, February 11, March 11, April 8, May 13, June 3, June 17, July 8, July 22, August 5, 12, 19, 26, September 2,
2025 Festival Committee
Artist Hospitality - Alex Hutchings (Sara Box)
Budget and Finance - Chris Gajewicz
Concessions - Kate Kamphuis and Amy Craft Ahrens (Katie Stygles)
Development - Kayla Ballinger, (Todd Ahrens, Jamie Richards)
Marketing & PR - Carmen Cano and Jessica Gibson (Anna Gorman Allard, Katrina Ewing, Marissa Muñiz-Kolhoff, Cassie Watson, Victoria Rowinsky)
Performing Arts - Cole Christensen and Tim Concannon
Recycling & Sustainability - John Zanfardino (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 - Maria Iafelice (Brandon Briggs, Jessica Turos)
Volunteers - Anne McLaughlin and Emily Keegan
Youth Arts - Kelsey Mohrman and Amanda Speer
2025 Executive Committee
Mark Strang, Festival Chair
Jessica Gibson, Vice Chair
Todd Ahrens, Past Chair
Katlin Lancaster, Festival Secretary
Michael Richter, Treasurer (Assistant Treasurer, Kalin Brown)