Above: “Bantam’s Burning Bush” by John Eiseman, winner of the Best Wild Spaces award in the 2025 Plein Air Litchfield.
Plein Air Litchfield 2026 (September 12–20) will bring more than 30 nationally acclaimed landscape painters to paint live (en plein air) in our town and region. Here’s what’s happening.
🖌️ Festival Highlights: September 12–20, 2026
1. Palates & Palettes: Live Demonstration Series (Sept 12, 14, 16)
Watch master painters demonstrate their open-air techniques at designated gathering spaces across the region:
- Saturday, Sept 12: Live painting at The Pink House (West Cornwall, by the Covered Bridge).
- Monday, Sept 14: Live painting at The Lost Fox Inn (Litchfield).
- Wednesday, Sept 16: Live painting at The Abner (featuring rooftop painting at Verdict and sessions at The Courtroom Restaurant).
2. Quick Paint Competition & Community Night (Sunday, Sept 13)
An exciting, timed challenge that invites both visiting festival painters and local community artists to paint on location within the Historic District.
- 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Canvas Stamping & Registration at Tapping Reeve Meadow ($25 fee for non-invited community artists).
- 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM: 2-Hour Quick Paint Competition within one square mile of the Litchfield Green.
- 11:30 AM: Open-air public judging and awards presentation at Tapping Reeve Meadow ($1,000 in total prize purses).
- 🎟️ Artist Entry: Register on the Plein Air Litchfield Quick Paint Page.
Artist Reception & Meet & Greet (6:00 PM): Gather at the Litchfield Community Center for a free public reception to connect with visiting artists, view new works, enjoy local eats from the Meraki Food Truck, and sample tastings from Litchfield Distillery.
3. Hollister House Garden Exhibition (Thursday, Sept 17)
A special pop-up exhibition featuring study works and completed landscapes created on location at Hollister House Garden.
- Where: The Litchfield Inn
- Admission: Free and open to the public.
4. Grand Finale: PAL Collectors Show & Gala (Saturday, Sept 19)
The festival concludes on the campus of 5 Points Center for the Visual Arts in Torrington with the premier exhibition of the week. Featuring over $8,500 in fine art awards judged by Stephanie Plunkett (Executive Director, Norman Rockwell Museum), fine catering by Chef Carlos Perez (Good News Cafe), and a Litchfield Distillery craft bar.
- 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: VIP Preview Show & Early Purchase Access ($100 ticket)
- 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Collectors Show, Cocktail Soirée & Gala ($50 ticket)
🎟️ Tickets & Registration: Reserve your place on the PAL Collectors Show Ticket Page.
🔗 Resources & Connections
- Festival Website: pleinairlitchfield.com
- General Inquiries: pleinairlitchfield@gmail.com
- Artist Competition Registration: Quick Paint Entry Form
- Gala Ticket Reservations: Purchase Tickets
