Orange Beach Festival of Art Named Best in the Nation

OBA Staff • March 12, 2025

USA Today readers choose Orange Beach as best art fest

Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – The Orange Beach Festival of Art took top honors in as the nation's Best Art Festival in USA Today's 10Best readers' choice awards. Celebrating its 51st annual event this past weekend, the festival drew thousands of residents and visitors.

For over five decades, the Orange Beach Festival of Art has been a part of the Alabama Gulf Coast’s cultural scene, showcasing fine art, crafts, and musical performances. The waterfront festival on Wolf Bay features both local and regional artists, highlighting diverse media such as painting, pottery, glasswork, and woodcraft.

Attendees enjoy live music, interactive demonstrations, and a culinary arts section that blends creativity with coastal flavors. The festival also offers family-friendly activities, making it a perfect outing for all ages.

The festival's recognition by USA Today places it at the pinnacle of art festivals nationwide. The top 10 art festivals, as voted by readers, include:

Orange Beach Festival of Art – Orange Beach, Alabama
La Quinta Arts Festival – La Quinta, California
Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original – Ann Arbor, Michigan
Coconut Grove Arts Festival – Miami, Florida
Cherry Creek Arts Festival – Denver, Colorado
Old Town Art Fair – Chicago, Illinois
Park City Kimball Arts Festival – Park City, Utah
Saint Louis Art Fair – Clayton, Missouri
Plaza Art Fair – Kansas City, Missouri
Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival – Winter Park, Florida

This accolade not only highlights the festival's excellence but also underscores the vibrant arts community in Orange Beach, attracting art enthusiasts from across the country.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Share this article w/ Friends...

Orange Beach Recreation Campus is Expanding

Orange Beach Recreation Campus Expansion Plans Continue to Move Forward

By R. Ken Cooper • June 9, 2026

Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — Orange Beach officials are moving forward with plans to expand and improve the city’s Recreation Campus. The site has grown significantly over the past two decades and now serves as a central hub for residents and visitors. City leaders say the goal is to better meet rising demand. Propose

Junior Angler Saltwater Championship Series - Stock Image

Orange Beach to Host New Junior Angler Event Focused On Competition And Conservation

By John Mullen • June 9, 2026

Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – A new fishing tournament for high-school and middle-school-age kids will debut this summer with the Gulf of America Inshore Invitational. Teens in grades 9 through 12 are eligible for one division, and seventh- and eighth-graders for a second.

Foley City Council Approves Permanent Markers For Downtown Entertainment Zone

By Guy Busby • June 9, 2026

Foley, Ala. — (OBA) — Foley's downtown Arts and Entertainment District is getting a visible upgrade. The Foley City Council has approved new pre-printed thermal markers to replace the old stenciled sidewalk signs. The markers will indicate where the district's boundaries begin and end. City leaders say the change sign

Milkshakes, Blue Angels & Back Bay Breezes

By Jessica A. Taylor • June 8, 2026

Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — There’s just something about summer on the Alabama Gulf Coast that makes you want to slow down a little–even when things seem fast. Maybe it’s an old-fashioned milkshake served in a real glass dish, the rumble of the Blue Angels overhead, a plate of boiled shrimp shared picnic-style with f

Pirate Dinner Theater Fades While New Development Plans Move Forward

By John Mullen • June 8, 2026

Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – The unpopular Pirate Dinner Theater project being considered for the current Beech’s Camper and Mobile Home Park hasn’t completely left the building. But it’s more than likely on the way out, even as it appears as a non-action item on an upcoming planning commission agenda.

One of the many types of reefs in Alabama's Reef Program. Photo by Walter Marine.

Alabama Reefs Bring World Oceans Day Message Closer To Home

By R. Ken Cooper • June 8, 2026

Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — World Oceans Day is a global call to protect the sea and the life it supports. Oceans cover more than 70 percent of our planet and produce over half the oxygen we breathe. It feeds billions of people, drives weather patterns, and supports entire economies. The day is meant to remind people

Surf Rescue To Lead Training Exercise At Alabama Point On Monday

By R. Ken Cooper • June 7, 2026

Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — Orange Beach will see a large emergency response presence on Monday morning, but officials say there is no cause for concern. The activity will be part of a planned training exercise involving city agencies. It will take place at Alabama Point near the east jetties at Perdido Pass. The dri

City of Foley Approves New Restrooms, Pavilion, and Trail Signs at City Parks

By Guy Busby • June 7, 2026

Foley, Ala. — (OBA) — Foley is moving ahead with a series of improvements at its nature parks. The work includes new restrooms, a pavilion, and trail signs. City leaders also plan to seek grant funding for a boardwalk project at Wolf Creek Park. The projects are intended to make the parks more useful and accessible fo

Baldwin County Completes Major Drainage Project in Fort Morgan

By R. Ken Cooper • June 7, 2026

Fort Morgan, Ala. — (OBA) — A major drainage project in the Fort Morgan area is now complete, and the timing could not be better. The Baldwin County Commission announced the completion of the Surfside Drive Drainage Improvements Project just as the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season gets underway. The project was designed

David Dale wins the April 2026 Island Spirit Award - Photo by Ryan Moberly

Orange Beach Fitness Center Worker Wins Community Honor

By R. Ken Cooper • June 7, 2026

Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — Orange Beach Fitness Center employee David Dale has been recognized for his strong work ethic and community spirit. He received the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber’s April 2026 Catch the Island Spirit Award. Dale is known among gym members for his early hours, friendly demeanor, and commu