The Top Plein Air Painting Events for July 2025

Take advantage of these art and plein air painting events and opportunities from our 2025 Ultimate Guide to Painting Events and Organizations. Bonus: Includes upcoming event deadlines!

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July 2025 Painting Events

California

20TH FRANK BETTE PLEIN AIR PAINTOUT
Dates: July 28-August 2
Opening Reception: August 2
Sponsoring Organization: Frank Bette Center for the Arts
Venue: South Shore Center, Alameda
Format: Juried
Juror of Awards: Richard Lindenberg
Award Total: $6450
Website: frankbettecenter.org
The Frank Bette Plein Air Paintout hosts up to 40 juried artists for a week of painting tree-lined streets; stately Victorian homes and shops; picturesque marinas; historic naval ships and naval air station; as well as beaches, lagoons, parks, and San Francisco and Oakland skylines in the island city of Alameda. The week includes a welcome reception, luncheon and a quick draw and an outdoor exhibit and sale of all the paintings on Saturday.

EXHIBITION: Painting Route 66-An Artist Road Trip
Dates: Through August 10
Venue: Luna Gallery in San Juan Bautista
Website: www.lunagallery.art
A plein air exhibit celebrating the Route 66 Centennial and focusing on scenes along the route through New Mexico, Arizona, and California has been organized by Santa Fe Artists Carole Belliveau, Stephanie West, Wendy Ahlm, and Elizabeth May.

Colorado

3RD ANNUAL PEAK ART ADVENTURE PLEIN AIR EVENT AND COMPETITION
Dates: July 23-August 6
Entry Deadline and Opening Reception Date: July 25
Sponsoring Organizations: Pikes Peak Plein Air Painters; Reserve Our Gallery; Artistic Endeavors Fine Art
Venue: Reserve Our Gallery, Woodland Park
Format: Open
Award Total: $6000
Website: pikespeakpleinairpainters.com/peak-art-adventure
Join us for the third annual plein air event and competition! Artists of all skill levels are welcome to paint in the beautiful Pikes Peak area, which features stunning suburban, wilderness, and forest landscapes. This is a juried competition, with cash & prize awards for Professional, Advanced, and Emerging categories. Additionally, there will be a gallery exhibition showcasing all submitted entries.

GEORGETOWN PLEIN AIR 2025
Dates: July 25-26
Opening Reception: July 26
Entry Deadline: July 11
Sponsoring Organization: Georgetown Trust for Conservation and Preservation, Inc.
Venue: Georgetown Old School (formerly Heritage Center)
Format: Combination
Award Total: $900
Website: georgetowntrust.org
Eighth annual plein air event in vintage, picturesque Georgetown, 45 miles west of Denver at 8,500 ft. elevation, in the National Landmark Historic District. A charming town of colorful Victorian buildings ringed by mountain views, Georgetown has long been a favorite of artists. Includes Quick Draw in historic downtown. Exhibit and sale through August 10. Late registration accepted.

TELLURIDE PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL
Dates: June 30-July 6
Opening Reception Date: July 3
Sponsoring Organization: PleinAir Magazine and Sheridan Arts Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Venue: Sheridan Opera House
Format: Juried
Award Total: $15,000
Website: telluridepleinair.com
The Telluride Plein Air Festival has become an indispensable part of Telluride’s Independence Day festivities, allowing locals and tourists alike to observe some of the nation’s top plein air artists at work. The festival culminates in a three-day sale, where the artists display the work they have created all week long. Proceeds benefit the historic Sheridan Opera House.

Idaho

DRIGGS PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL
Dates: July 23-August 1
Opening Reception: July 27
Sponsoring Organization: Downtown Driggs Association
Venue: Driggs City Building and Plaza
Format: Juried
Award Total: $4,000
Website: downtowndriggs.org
Please join us for the 14th Annual Driggs Plein Air Festival, held on the west side of the Teton Range. Artists paint anywhere in Teton Valley, located in between Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Artists and collectors enjoy the extended show & sale, collector preview, artists workshops, opening reception and concert, Quick Draw competitions, paint-outs, competition awards ceremony, and closing reception.

Maryland

PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
Dates: Through November 18
Website: dianeduboismullaly.com/other1
PAPCB is the “daughter” of the long-established Plein Air Painters of the Eastern Shore (PAPES) and now has over 50 members and organizes plein air paint outs every Tuesday.

PLEIN AIR EASTON
Dates: July 11-20
Website: pleinaireaston.com

Montana

PLEIN AIR MONTANA
Dates: July 20-26
Opening Reception: July 26
Sponsoring Organization and Venue: Bozeman Art Museum
Format: Combination
Website: bozemanartmuseum.org
With locations from downtown to the mountains just outside of Bozeman, artists have the opportunity to create some remarkable work, which will be eligible for awards and sales. The artwork will remain on display and available for purchase throughout the month of August. Opening night will be July 26 after a morning Quick Draw paint-out. Enjoy social gatherings, buyers’ events, and workshops.

New Mexico

PLEIN AIR PAINTERS NEW MEXICO
Dates: Through August 29
Website: papnm.org
“The Mother Road” is a non-juried plein air event open to artist members of Plein Air Painters of New Mexico (PAPNM) and the Amarillo Art Institute (AAI) Artists may paint plein air anywhere along the historic route 66 in either Texas or New Mexico during the Paint Out period of the event.

Virginia

GLOUCESTER ARTS FESTIVAL
Dates: Through July 5
Sponsoring Organization: The Cook Foundation
Venue: Fine Arts Museum of Gloucester
Format: Invitational
Jurors of Awards: Bob Upton
Award Total: $28,000
Website: gloucesterartsfestival.com
Guests can watch as the invited plein air artists from across the country paint the Heart of the River collection in historic Gloucester.

Wisconsin

THE DOOR COUNTY PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL
Dates: July 20-26
Opening Reception: July 25
Sponsoring Organization and Venue: Peninsula School of Art, Fish Creek
Format: Invitational
Award Total: $18,000+ in cash and prizes
Website: peninsulaschoolofart.org/doorcountypleinair
The Door County Plein Air Festival in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, celebrates the outdoor painting tradition with 35 master plein air painters from across the country invited to put brush to canvas, capturing the summer light over the diverse natural beauty and quaint harbor towns of the Door Peninsula. Listen and learn from artists as they paint on location, and take home a treasured original piece of fine art by the week’s end.

International Painting Events

ART IN THE OPEN, IRELAND
Dates: July 19-27
Opening Reception: July 18
Sponsoring Organization: Art in the Open DAC
Venue: Greenacres Gallery, Wexford
Format: Open
Award Total: €5000
Website: artintheopen.org
An Irish welcome awaits artists attending Europe’s premier plein air festival, the 18th annual Art in the Open (AITO). AITO is noted for its friendly, relaxed environment, varied and inspiring locations, and stellar list of talented guest artists providing optional workshops. Each day’s new location brings interest and a different challenge; historic market towns, beaches, fishing harbors, villages, and country estates. Coach available from your base in Wexford Town. Social evenings, presentations, and more. Places limited.

Coming Soon: SWITZERLAND PLEIN AIR TRIP – PUBLISHER’S INVITATIONAL
Dates: October 10-20
Sponsoring Organization: PleinAir Magazine 
Website: www.paintswitzerland.com
Follow in the brushstrokes of the masters who found inspiration in these majestic landscapes — from Monet’s brilliant exploration of alpine light and color to Sargent’s dramatic mountain compositions, Sorolla’s luminous mountain scenes, and Bierstadt’s breathtaking panoramas. Even Turner and Cézanne were captivated by Switzerland’s unparalleled beauty. Hosted by Eric Rhoads, CEO of Streamline Publishing.