Sawdust Art Festival - Laguna Beach

What It Is

Sawdust Art Festival is Laguna Beach's residents-only artist-direct open-air gallery, where 180+ painters, sculptors, jewelry makers, glass blowers, and craftspeople set up studios and sell work on-site. Running since 1967, it maintains a vibe of genuine creative work, not mass-produced tourist art. The 2026 run is June 26 through September 6, 2026, open daily, on the eucalyptus-shaded Laguna Canyon grounds.

Why Go

If Festival of Arts is the gallery, Sawdust is the soul. You're buying directly from makers with better prices than gallery markups and actual conversations about process. Three live music stages, daily workshops, and the sawdust-on-the-path village atmosphere make it as much community experience as it is shopping. The caliber of work is genuinely impressive and the setting is pleasant even if you don't buy.

What To Know Before You Go

Open daily, Sun-Thu 11am to 8pm, Fri-Sat 11am to 10pm. Adult single day admission is $12.50, kids 6 to 12 are $5.50 with a parent. Confirm current pricing on the official Sawdust Art Festival site. Parking: Paid Lot 16 across the highway runs about $5 per day; street meters and public lots elsewhere in Laguna Canyon are limited. The free Summer Breeze trolley from Act V is a solid alternative, and the Passport to the Arts bundles one-time entry to all three canyon festivals plus one-time free Act V parking. Ticket prices subject to change. Confirm on the official event site before you go. Many artists take cash only, so bring some. Crowds peak midday on weekends. Go early or late.

The Honest Take

Laguna Beach foot traffic and parking hassles are real. The entry fee is modest but the location makes it slower to access than a gallery. If you're doing the Laguna canyon festival stretch, Sawdust is the most Laguna of the three. The community atmosphere is the point. Pair it with Festival of Arts and Art-A-Fair for the full weekend.