The much loved Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts is excited to be back at Fowler Park in 2024!

Join in August 2025 for the annual Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts. It is considered one of the top outdoor fine art festivals in the Midwest. It is held on the beautiful shores of Fowler Lake at Fowler Park in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. This volunteer-run Festival works hard to make this a rewarding event for both the artists and attendees. You are invited to apply to the Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts to fill one of the 135 valued booth spaces.

The Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts fosters public awareness of the arts through an annual festival, artist scholarships, donated sculptures, and youth programs. The Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts is considered one of the top outdoor fine art festivals in the Midwest and boasts a juried art exhibition featuring 110 artists from all over the United States, in Ceramics (Functional or Decorative), Drawing/Pastels/Printmaking, Fiber/Leather, Glass, Jewelry, 2D Mixed Media, 3D Mixed Media, Painting (watercolor, oil or acrylic), Photography, Sculpture and Wood. The Mission of the Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts is to bring fine art to the Oconomowoc area through an annual, juried, festival of the arts, and to provide cultural and educational opportunities.

In addition to the art exhibition, visitors can look forward to a silent art auction, interactive children’s area, various musical and entertainment groups, and – of course – delicious food! Sponsored by the Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts, Ltd. – an all-volunteer community organization – the festival has been taking place for over half a century! The festival is held annually on the third weekend in August in beautiful Fowler Park in the heart of Oconomowoc. Situated about halfway between Milwaukee and Madison on the shores of Fowler Lake, the festival draws visitors from both metropolitan areas – and beyond!

So come to Oconomowoc – ‘where the waters meet’ – to celebrate and shop for art in a variety of formats: photography, painting, drawing, fiber, jewelry, wood, metal, glass, stone. We assure you that the art expressions are as exquisite as the scenery.

The Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts fosters public awareness of the arts through an annual festival, artist scholarships, donated sculptures, and youth programs.

The Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts is considered one of the top outdoor fine art festivals in the Midwest and boasts a juried art exhibition featuring 110 artists from all over the United States, in Ceramics (Functional or Decorative), Drawing/Pastels/Printmaking, Fiber/Leather, Glass, Jewelry, 2D Mixed Media, 3D Mixed Media, Painting (watercolor, oil or acrylic), Photography, Sculpture and Wood.

In addition to the art exhibition, visitors can look forward to a silent art auction, interactive children’s area, various musical and entertainment groups, and – of course – delicious food! Sponsored by the Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts, Ltd. – an all-volunteer community organization – the festival has been taking place for over half a century!

The festival is held annually on the third weekend in August in beautiful Fowler Park in the heart of Oconomowoc. Situated about halfway between Milwaukee and Madison on the shores of Fowler Lake, the festival draws visitors from both metropolitan areas – and beyond!

So come to Oconomowoc – ‘where the waters meet’ – to celebrate and shop for art in a variety of formats: photography, painting, drawing, fiber, jewelry, wood, metal, glass, stone. We assure you that the art expressions are as exquisite as the scenery.

The event is held rain or shine! We have been there is the rain before 😉 

Be sure to stop by the Children’s Area:

The children’s area at the Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts was intentionally created to allow young artists the chance to dig in and create art in a way that is fun for kids and easy for parents. In this area, children get to don a smock and choose an art medium to explore. From mural painting to face painting – and everything in between –  there’s something new and exciting for children to create each year. Activities are best suited for children ages 4 to 10, though there is also a coloring table for even the littlest artist. Also, the art wall is open to anyone who enjoys painting – regardless of age!

Thank you, in advance, for making art a priority for your children.

*There is a free shuttle service from area parking lots, and the Pontoon shuttle is a favorite of the Lake Country Family Fun family! My girls love trekking across Fowler Lake to the festival. I’m sure yours will, too! Parking is very limited around Fowler Park.

SHUTTLE BUS STOPS TO FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
Continuous service shuttle stops approximately every 20 minutes.
10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
1 Shorehaven, Lake Terrace Apartments, Forgotten Treasures Resale Shop – Hwy 16 West
2 Prairie Creek Shoppes – Brown St./Hwy. P
2 Pick’n Save – Hwy 16
3 Fleet Farm Parking Lot – Summit Avenue
3 Berkshire Apartments – 2nd & Main Streets
4 City Hall Municipal Lot – E. Collins St.
5 Floater 10:00 am to 5:00 pm 

We love taking the pontoon shuttle!

NEW ART at the John and Lavonia Rockwell Park in 2025!

The public is invited to the unveiling of, “Harmony,” in John and Lavinia Rockwell Park on August 12. The dedication of the life-sized bronze sculpture comes on the heels of the City of Oconomowoc’s celebration of the completion of Rockwell Park this summer. The completion also serendipitously coincides with the city’s Sesquicentennial Year.
To mark the occasion, the Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts is celebrating the 150th birthday by donating “Harmony” which will be placed on the Fowler Lake shoreline of Rockwell Park.
The sculpture was designed and created by Oconomowoc artist Dr. John Hallett. Hallett is a retired veterinarian and has lived in Oconomowoc since 1994. He recently completed his Master of Fine Arts degree at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He has studios in Hayward and Oconomowoc, Wis. In addition to the Rockwell Park piece, he is unveiling bronze sculptures at Lapham Peak State Park and the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus in the coming months.
This is the fourth sculpture gifted by the Festival of Arts to grace various locations in the community. The first sculpture, “The Spirit of Oconomowoc,” is located nearby on the banks of Fowler Lake on North Main Street and was created by the late John Rawlins, an Oconomowoc-area artist. The second sculpture, “Melody,” is located at the entrance to the Oconomowoc Arts Center at the Oconomowoc High School and was created by refugee artist Tuan of Laguna, Calif. The third sculpture, “Where the Waters Meet,” stands in City Beach Park on West Wisconsin Avenue, created by Terri Field, also an Oconomowoc artist.
John and Lavinia Rockwell Park, a five-year project, is testimony of the community’s commitment to cherishing and preserving their city’s natural spaces. Oconomowoc translates from a Native American name to, “Where the Waters Meet.” John and Lavinia Rockwell Park has been transformed from unused green space and past residential development to a space where the public can enjoy sweeping views of both Fowler Lake and
Lac La Belle – “Where the Waters Meet.”
The exact details of the sculpture are being kept secret before a public unveiling August 12. However, those involved with the project said the life-size sculpture truly captures the whimsy and joy experienced along the lakes of Oconomowoc.
The Festival has a sculpture in front of the Oconomowoc Performing Arts Center that’s called “Melody,” Hallett said.

“As I was thinking about names I just thought ‘Harmony’ would be a good name to tie into that, but also being in harmony with nature – with the water and the lake,” he explained.

Where: John and Lavinia Rockwell Park, 517 North Lake Road, Oconomowoc

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