Arts & Entertainment Neighbors

Bucks County Plein Air Festival Underway


A painter taking part in the Bucks County Plein Air Festival in Newtown Borough in the past.
Credit: Newtown Borough Police Department

The Bucks County Plein Air Festival is taking place this week.

The third annual festival, which is put on by Bucks County Community College and the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce, will feature 30 artists who have been selected competitively by two jurors to create art “en plein air,” or “in open air,” throughout picturesque Bucks County starting Monday and wrapping up Saturday.

Artists will paint Washington Crossing Historic Park in Upper Makefield, historic Newtown Township, and New Hope this year. In 2017, artists painted Bristol Borough and Newtown.

Outdoor painting will take place Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

On Friday, an awards ceremony and exhibition will be held at Bucks County Community College’s Tyler Tasting Party in Newtown Township. The ceremony will be hosted by Alasdair Nichol, vice chairman of Freeman’s auction house and a regular art appraiser on “Antiques Roadshow” on PBS.

At stake this year is up to $15,000 in prizes, organizers said.

Award-winning artist Alan Fetterman is once again joining in hosting the festival. In April, the Bucks County Commissioners named Fetterman Bucks County’s first  Artist in Residence.

“Bucks County is nothing shy of amazing,” Fetterman said. “With more than 50 years of calling Bucks County my home, building this wonderful festival with the partnerships of the college and the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce is an honor.”

On Saturday, a free community day will be held at the community college’s Newtown Township campus from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will feature a juried artist quick draw, a public quick draw, art sales, food trucks, wine tastings, and live music.

Proceeds from the Bucks County Plein Air Festival help fund future events and benefit the community college’s art programs.


About the author

Staff