Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival

Art, music, food and fun fill Seville Square the first weekend in November as the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival comes to historic downtown Pensacola. The annual Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is one of the best-regarded, most popular arts festivals in the United States. The three-day, juried art show draws more than 200 of the nation's best painters, potters, sculptors, jewelers, graphic artists, craftsmen and other artists. Participating artists compete for $25,000 in cash awards. First held in 1973, GGAF brings thousands of visitors from across the Southeast to the festival and Pensacola's downtown. Activities also include: Main Stage: Live musicians hit the right notes from the Main Stage with sounds ranging from bluegrass to Cajun and blues to jazz and classical. The 2012 line-up includes Holly Shelton, The Highlanders, Doug & Telisha Williams, Larkin Poe, Waylon Thibodeaux, Luke Winslow-King, the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and more. Heritage Arts: The festival also celebrates our artisan history in Heritage Arts, where local craft workers demonstrate traditional arts, crafts and trades, including blacksmithing, engraving, spinning, weaving and other skills. The Children's Arts Festival: On the waterfront in Bartram Park, children become artists with numerous hands-on art activities. All children's art activities are free, fun, and geared toward children toddler age and older. The Children's Stage features local performing arts, dance, and music groups. The Children's Festival is open Friday for children with special needs from selected schools and is open to everyone on Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Student Art Show: Also in Bartram Park, the popular Student Art Show featuring the artwork of our talented private and public school students of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. More than 2,000 pieces of art from elementary, middle and high school students will be on display. International Invited Artist: Each year, The GGAF featu