Laguna Plein Air Invitational returns with 30 painters and nine days of events

Laguna Beach’s 28th Annual Plein Air Painting Invitational runs Oct. 3-11, 2026, with 30 master painters, a free Quick Draw competition, a ticketed collectors party and a public festival. LPAPA says the event has been reshaped this year after scheduling and service changes at nearby partner venues.

Why it matters: - The Invitational keeps Laguna Beach’s plein air tradition in the spotlight, drawing national and international attention to the city’s art legacy. - The event gives the public a chance to watch artists work outdoors, buy original paintings and engage directly with painters and collectors. - LPAPA says this year’s format reflects the same adaptability that plein air painting demands.

What happened: - Thirty master plein air painters are in Laguna Beach for the 28th Annual Laguna Plein Air Painting Invitational from Oct. 3-11, 2026. - The event turns Laguna Beach into an open-air studio for nine days. - The Laguna Plein Air Painters Association is organizing the Invitational. - The schedule includes live painting, an art party, a public exhibition and multiple related events across the week.

The details: - The free Quick Draw Painting Competition takes place Sunday, Oct. 4, from 1-3 p.m. at Heisler Park. - Artists will complete original paintings within two hours, then the works will be transported to the Festival of Arts grounds from 3-6 p.m. - Visitors can meet the painters, see the finished work and bid in a silent auction. - The ticketed Collectors Art Party is Saturday, Oct. 10, starting at 6 p.m. at the Festival of Arts grounds. - The party will unveil more than 250 original paintings and include live awards, hors d’oeuvres, sweet bites by Chef Lindsay of Nirvana and a craft mocktail bar. - Tickets cost $250, or $225 for LPAPA members, and online sales close at 10 a.m. Oct. 9. - Sponsorships with 5 p.m. early access are also available. - The free Laguna Plein Air Art Festival runs Sunday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Festival of Arts grounds. - The festival includes a public exhibition and sale, live demonstrations and fresh paintings added Sunday morning. - The “Sunday Best” small works award ceremony begins at 11 a.m. - The free “Just Plein Happy Nocturne Paint-Out” takes place downtown on Tuesday, Oct. 6, beginning around 5 p.m. - Plein Talk at Laguna Art Museum is Wednesday, Oct. 7, with a wine and charcuterie reception at 5:30 p.m. and the panel discussion from 6-7:30 p.m. - Tickets for Plein Talk are available through the museum. - The complete Invitational schedule and ticket information are available at the full event schedule.

Between the lines: - LPAPA said the event was adjusted after Coast Film & Music Foundation’s Concerts in the Canyon moved to 2027 and after an unexpected change to beverage service at the Festival of Arts grounds. - Toni Kellenberg, LPAPA Board President, said resilience is part of plein air painting and that the organization created a craft mocktail bar for the Collectors Art Party. - The Invitational builds on Laguna Beach’s long history as an art colony that helped shape California Impressionism. - LPAPA describes itself as the nation’s premier organization for plein air artists.

What's next: - Artists will continue painting throughout the week as the Invitational moves toward the Oct. 10 collectors event and Oct. 11 public festival. - Organizers are steering visitors to lpapa.org for the full schedule, event details and tickets. - The Sunday exhibition is expected to add more fresh work on the final morning.

The bottom line: - Laguna Beach is using one of its signature art events to showcase live painting, collectable work and the city’s plein air heritage in a compact nine-day format.