Celebrating Culture and Creativity at Alaska World Arts Festival in Homer
Alaska is known for its endless outdoor recreation. Did you know that there’s a bustling arts scene here, too? It’s especially prevalent during the annual Alaska World Arts Festival. This two-week-long celebration of worldwide art forms takes place across 50 venues in Homer, Alaska. Experience the best work of local and worldwide artists with music, dance, visual arts, and more! It’s the perfect itinerary item for an art lovers’ trip to Homer, Alaska!
When you’re ready to start planning your trip, access our Homer Vacation Guide. This free resource is filled with local insight on the best activities, annual events, and more. Yours is just one click away!
What You Can Expect at the Alaska World Arts Festival
The most beautiful places in the world attract the most talented authors and the Alaska World Arts Festival held in Homer, Alaska every year is the perfect example. Held in September when the leaves are changing and the frosty chill of winter has not yet made its grip on the landscape of Homer, ensuring that everyone enjoys this venture into the art world. This guide to the festival will give you a sneak peek of the fun you will have, especially when you come home to the Driftwood Inn at the end of every day.
An Inclusive Mission
The mission of the Alaska World Arts Festival is to “Foster the exchange of cultures and ideas toward understanding and tolerance of diversity and building a stronger local and world community through creative arts.” For decades, humans have often struggled to identify with people and cultures different from their own. The festival hopes that through art, we can better process, understand, and appreciate these differences to build a stronger worldwide community.
What better place to foster intercultural relationships than in Homer, Alaska? Our area is known for its old-time Alaskan hospitality as we welcome thousands of domestic and international visitors each year. Guests come to our area to experience Homer’s unique culture and things to do. Likewise, we enjoy learning and experiencing other cultures as well!
Unique Art Forms Across 50 Venues in Homer From September 13-26
Unlike many arts festivals, this isn’t a one-stop-shop of browsing paintings. This event offers many different artistic mediums for all ages. From jazz dance concerts and workshops to improv comedy shows, you’ll be entertained and enriched at the same time! Tickets to the festival vary depending on how much time you want to invest in the festival. You can also reference the festival guide for nearly 100 free activities!
The Alaska World Arts Festival celebrates all the arts, offering live music, live performance art, and a 24 hour film jam in addition to storytelling and of course, art that graces the walls and buildings of town. Each day provides a new chance for performers and artists to show their stuff, starting with the stories being told by Circle Round, a popular podcast, with its show held on opening night. From there, guests can expect lunch performances by award winning guitarists, the musical stylings of artists from all over the world. Help create a mural that will stand the test of time on Sunday, September 15th at 4474 Homer Spit Road (ages 12-100 are invited to participate) and for everyone who has ever fallen in love with Danny and Sandy in Grease, the Grease, the Musical, Sing along, held September 17th will make you realize that the world is a better place when the music you love is being played.
The Performing Arts
It’s not just music and murals being celebrated at the Alaska World Arts Festival, and on Friday, September 20, the Lights, Camera, Action is a virtual and live act that invites actors, writers, directors, and filmmakers to come together, showing off their works in 7 minute long phone clips destined to make the world smile, with the finished works being shown on September 23 at Alice’s Champagne Palace. Stand-up Comedian/Storyteller Michael Palascak brings his humor to the stage on Saturday, September 21, also at Alice’s Champagne Palace and the history of Homer comes alive on September 24, with an encore performance of Spit Tunes, a Musical Comedy about Homer’s History at Alice’s Champagne Palace. The final “performance” of the festival takes place on September 26th with a Live Painting Festivity starring the works of artist Kathleen Dose Kohl. This event takes place at the Homer Chamber of Commerce, offering finger foods, wines, and masterpieces created by Ms. Kohl, all started and completed throughout the evening.
Experience Old-Alaskan Hospitality at Driftwood Inn
We can’t wait to welcome you to Homer for the Alaska World Arts Festival! Can’t make it to this exciting festival? Consider planning a trip during another one of our favorite Homer, Alaska, events. No matter when you visit, there’s always something fun happening in our neck of the woods!
Stay in authentic, Alaskan lodging when you choose Driftwood Inn. Our six main accommodation types are suited for travelers of all needs. We offer Modern Lodges, Old Town Cottages, Woodside Lodge Suites, Historic Inn Rooms, Tiny Houses, and RV Park. All our lodging options are near Old Town Homer, so you have easy access to restaurants, shops, and more during your visit!
Check our availability to start planning your trip to Homer!