By ANDREW SPIESS and DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
On the bright afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 13, the Black Swamp Art Festival’s attendance was expectedly thinner after a long, crowded Saturday, but still strong. Music, food, and art were as plentiful and enjoyable as the previous two days.
Sharply at 5 p.m., the breakdown of tents, food vendor set-ups, and stages was quick and efficient.
Overall, the 2026 Black Swamp Arts Festival ended pleasantly, adding another year to a long and continuing history of art appreciation in Bowling Green.
Amy Craft Ahrens, co-chair of the concessions committee, said it appears the festival weathered the economic headwinds.
Friday concession sales may have been the best in the festival’s history, she said. How that played out over the weekend is unclear. People may just have stocked up on the tickets needed to purchase beverages for the weekend.
“The thing about having a really good Friday night is a lot of people are buying their tickets early, and they’re going to use them all festival long,” she said.
“I think it was a pretty solid year. I wouldn’t be surprised if we were up from last year by a little bit. It’s shocking to me” because of the economic climate,” she said. Other festivals have struggled.
She also said that reports from the food vendors have been positive. “They always want to come back. Nobody ever complains. They want to make sure they’ve got their spot secured for next year.”
The food vendors pay for their spots at the festival providing one of the legs the festival’s finances rest on. The others are the fees paid by artists to exhibit, concession sales, and donations.
She said the festival costs well north of $200,000 to stage every year, and the festival’s expenses are increasing.
The committee hopes to increase donations to the event to offset the rising costs.
Megan Newlove, co-chair of the visual arts committee, said that the artists uniformly reported good sales. They also expressed their appreciation for the hospitality they receive. That’s a recurring theme.
As someone who loves the festival, Newlove said, it’s good to hear the artists echo that sentiment.
(WThe announcement of the Art Awards winners has been delayed and is expected later this week.)
Painter Erica Pickrell said she likes the festival’s layout with every booth having a corner with two open sides. “We’re not scrunched in. It’s wonderful.”
She appreciates the efforts of the all-volunteer team that stages the event. “It feels local.”
And the sales are good enough to keep her coming back. She has a number of prints, but some people purchase more expensive large-scale originals.
“Anyone can afford something in my booth if they like my work. It’s just not all high-end.”
At the end of Tim Concannon’s set on the Community Stage, the last for the festival, Bob Midden exhorted the audience to return next year.
Black Swamp Arts Festival Day 3 recap in photos
