Brookings Summer Arts Festival

About Us - Info/History

The Brookings Summer Arts Festival is a testimony to what a good idea and a lot of hard work can do.  Each and every year a group of local volunteers plan an arts festival that surpasses the year before. Festival patrons are treated to a show that brings a wide assortment of art, food and entertainment to Pioneer Park.

The stage was set in 1972 when a small group of people gathered over a cup of coffee and planned an all-city event. Events took place all over town and kicked off July 15, 1972 with a parade and opening ceremony. Fifteen craft and art booths were at Pioneer Park, while rock, antique, and coin shows were held elsewhere.  Bus tours went to the Brookings County Historical Museum in Volga. A 4-H horse show, a grouping of band concerts and evening dances were also enjoyed by those who attended the first Brookings Summer Arts Festival.

Nearly four decades later, the Festival now transforms Pioneer Park into an outdoor art gallery that showcases the wares of the best regional artists and skilled craftsmen. Although we have continued to grow and evolve since our beginnings, the committee still meets over cups of coffee to plan the annual festival and prove what a little hard work from a few dedicated volunteers can achieve.