The St. James Court Art Show is an outdoor juried fine arts and fine crafts show in the Louisville’s St. James-Belgravia Historic District, an area known for its Victorian homes. Over an area of 4 blocks, visitors can find over 600 artists, all sorts of food and drink possibilities, and entertainment via street buskers and various performances at Performance Village.
2026 DATE: TBD
Location: Area around and including St. James Court
(from Sixth St to Third St and from Central Park to W Hill St)
Louisville, KY 40208
Website: https://www.stjamescourtartshow.com/
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This post documents my experience on October 4, 2025.
In 1957, the St. James Court Association needed a means to pay off some repair bills for the iconic fountain seen above. As a possible solution, then president Malcolm Bird set up an exhibit of pictures hung from a clothesline…
…and created the St. James Court Art Show.
It was actually a success and the festival continued to help finance future expenses…
…eventually growing over the years…
…alongside the district’s Victorian homes…
…and onto adjacent streets…
…until all the 600+ artists could all be accommodated.
When I first entered the festival, it was along a quieter, more narrow path…
…but it didn’t take long before I made my way to St. James Court…
…and started to really understand how big the show actually was.
I walked with thousands of other festival goers…
…amazed by the talent demonstrated through sculptural works…
…colorful paintings…
…adorable animal figures and planters….
…and all sorts of canvased art, whether created through drawings…
…mosaic…
…or digital technologies.
I came across beautiful painted barrel staves…
…playful repurposed figures…
…pottery for both sipping and pouring…
…and illustrated pun art.
There also were wooden flowers, glass pumpkins…
…pewter figurines galore for the next D & D adventure…
…elegant handwoven garments…
…colorful handmade jewelry…
…and art that gave you the impression that it was watching you right back.
For those who needed the occasional pause, Central Park hosted a Performance Village…
…where a stage was set…
…to offer performances of dance, theater and music….
…while music could also be enjoyed along South 3rd Street…
…thanks to some talented buskers…
…and there was even the option to check out the Conrad Caldwell House Museum.
For those who didn’t want to stop, alcohol helped…
…and there were plenty of options found all over the grounds…
…sometimes hosted by specific distilleries…
…and those drinks helped visitors relax and take their time while enjoying the show…
…eventually building an appetite along the way.
Food stands were also found in multiple areas of the show, offering everything from chicken tenders to gyros…
…stir fry to cheeseburgers…
…smoked wings, mac bowls…
…and even acai bowls.
There was even a row of food trucks just outside the grounds…
…with even more options….
…where I picked up a steamed bun for breakfast…
…and a rice bowl for lunch.