Falls Church Arts Plein Air Festival Wraps Up with Competition, Quick Draw Content, and Awards

The 2026 Falls Church Arts “Scenes in the City” Plein Air Festival culminates on Saturday, September 26, from 8 a.m. to noon, with a lively morning of outdoor painting, competition, judging, cash awards, and art sales.

The festival will take place on the grounds of Falls Church City Hall, 300 Park Avenue. Visitors can watch artists paint en plein air—French for “in the open air”—as they work quickly on location to capture changing light, atmosphere, and the character of Falls Church.

Before the September 26 finale, artists have had three weeks to capture picturesque and historic scenes throughout Falls Church, including the W&OD Trail, local parks, Cherry Hill Farmhouse, Clare and Don’s Beach Shack, and the Falls Church Farmers Market.

More than forty artists will compete for cash prizes. Noted juror Glen Kessler will judge the paintings and announce the winners at noon. The 2025 festival awarded more than $5,000 in prizes, and generous sponsors have made this year’s awards possible.

The morning’s centerpiece is the Quick Draw Competition, in which participants create an original painting within the three-hour festival window and submit it for judging. The competition is open to artists of all ages and skill levels, who may register at the Quick Draw table for a $15 entry fee.

Attendees may also vote for their favorite painting in the People’s Choice Award, honoring the artwork that receives the most public votes.

This free, family-friendly event invites visitors to meet the artists, watch paintings take shape, and purchase original artwork to take home the same day. If it rains, the festival will be held on October 3.