The Arts & Drafts Summer Music & Arts Festival has celebrated the arts and music from the Baltimore County community as well as the DC region and beyond for the last four years. Presented by the Baltimore County Arts Guild (BCAG), the event includes visual artists, live music, hands-on art, fun activities, and food and specialty beers. Thousands of festival goers have attended each year to visit with dozens of artists across every medium, listen to all genres of music, participate in art activities, and enjoy food and beverages!
BCAG wants to continue to grow and enhance the festival. In order to do this, we have decided to take a hiatus in 2025, allowing us to develop a plan to revitalize the event, explore new venue possibilities, and expand the artists, partners, music, and activities offered at the Arts & Drafts Festival. Stay tuned for exciting announcements on future Arts & Drafts Festivals in the coming year!
This is no ordinary arts festival. Regional artists are curated, and hand selected by BCAG to showcase their art across a wide variety of mediums for guests to purchase, including jewelry, pottery, woodworking, glass, acrylic and watercolor painting, mixed media, and much more, plus local vendors.
In addition to visual arts, these musicians and bands will be performing continually throughout both days:
Jazz from the Kevin Howard Band, Reggae/Soul/R&B from Brian Cunningham Project, Eclectic Rock / Funk / Rock & Roll from the Pineapple Band and Skies in Chaos, and Irish dance tunes from The Pilgrims of Deep Run. View the complete schedule.
Artists are curated and selected by a committee to present their art across many categories, including glass, acrylic and watercolor painting, photography, pottery, mixed media, 3D, jewelry, sculpture, woodworking, furniture, ceramics, metal, and much more.
Check out how to get involved in the Arts & Drafts Festival to support the arts and music of the region!
The festival is covered by many DMV area television, radio, and print outlets, including WBAL-TV 11 News Sunday, WJZ News at 9, Fox 45 Morning News, 98 Rock Maryland Perspectives, Baltimore Style, and many more!
See Maggie Mae Neiss, one of the featured festival artists, on DC News Now’s Living Local DMV:
Listen to Arkia Wade, Baltimore County Arts Guild President, discuss the festival on Baltimore Positive WNST AM 1570 Radio.
WBAL-TV 11: Hear the interview on WBAL-TV 11 with the Baltimore County Arts Guild Executive Director and one of the featured artists of the festival.
Spotlight On Maryland on Audacy: Tom Cook was joined in studio by the Baltimore County Arts Guild’s President Arkia Wade and Executive Director Monica Herber, to talk about the Catonsville, Maryland-based non-profit’s mission, goals, and their 4th annual Arts & Drafts Summer Music & Arts Festival, June 22nd & 23rd at Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Halethorpe.
Hear the interview about the Arts & Drafts Festival featured on WMAR-2 Baltimore!
