Gulfport Fine Arts Festival Expands With Butterfly Release, Live Art and Family Experiences
February 14th &15th 2026
Clymer Park – 2499 Beach Blvd.
Gulfport, Fl. 33707
GULFPORT, Fla. — The Gulfport Fine Arts Festival returns to Clymer Park for its 11th year with an expanded lineup of immersive experiences designed to celebrate art, nature and community—making it one of the most distinctive cultural events on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Taking place February 14–15, 2026, the boutique, juried fine arts festival will feature more than 50 professional artistsfrom across the United States and around the world. Artists, selected by three distinguished jurors, will showcase original works spanning painting, ceramics, sculpture, glass, wood and mixed media, all set beneath the iconic oak canopy of Clymer Park.
Again this year, the festival will host a Butterfly Sponsorship and Release Event in partnership with the Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation. Attendees may sponsor a butterfly for $10 in honor or memory of a loved one, cause or moment. Butterflies are responsibly raised for the event and released into the park’s gardens as part of a meaningful tribute experience.
The Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation will be onsite both days with an observation tent open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, culminating in a public butterfly release Sunday afternoon. Memorial plaques created in conjunction with the sponsorships will be permanently placed in the garden during a dedicated ceremony later this spring.
Families can also enjoy a robust children’s activity tent sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Gulfport Inc. offering hands-on creative activities throughout the weekend. Additional highlights include live artist demonstrations, performances by local musicians, and food offerings from three local restaurants, reinforcing the festival’s focus on supporting Gulfport’s creative and small-business community.
“The Gulfport Fine Arts Festival continues to grow while staying true to its intimate, community-centered roots,” said Scott Linde, president of the Gulfport Merchants Chamber of Commerce. “This year’s additions create meaningful connections between art, nature and remembrance, while showcasing why the arts are such an essential part of Gulfport’s identity.”
The festival is free and open to the public, running 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and is located within walking distance of Gulfport’s downtown restaurants, galleries and waterfront businesses.
More information, including butterfly sponsorship details, is available at https://www.drvgallery.com/sponsor-butterfly.
