About

DubuqueFest is an all arts festival located in the heart of historic downtown Dubuque, Iowa in Washington Park and on the Town Clock Plaza.

As a multi-faceted arts festival, DubuqueFest is a project with a variety of goals, all of which share in the general aim of raising awareness and participation in the arts while offering economic opportunity to working artists and celebrating culture. Among the many events are three days of free concerts, performance, and two days of a juried fine art fair, and the annual Dubuque Old House Enthusiast’s Old Home Tour.

The weekend also includes free children’s hands-on art activities, interactive art for all ages, a community art project, an annual book release & reading by the Dubuque Area Writers Guild, and an evening artists’ reception honoring our art fair artists held at the Dubuque Museum of Art.

The two day art fair features juried fine art & fine craft by 70 artists & artisans throughout the region. Artists are creating original work, no prefabricated or purchased pieces, no buy/sell items or re-purposed craft.  $1000 in Artists Awards are given to First, Second, and Third place.  The DubuqueFest Art Fair Judge is an independent agent from the Tri-State Area. Artists are honored at an artists appreciation reception on Saturday evening.

The Dubuque County Fine Arts Society (DCFAS) is a volunteer-driven 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit arts organization serving the Dubuque, Iowa community. DCFAS serves as an “umbrella” organization for a range of affiliate groups and programs and is governed by an active volunteer board and committees. The group’s mission is “to encourage, promote, and present local and regional arts including music, writing, theater, and fine art.”

With a team of like-minded individuals,  Ruth and Russ Nash founded Fine Arts Society in 1976 to enrich the cultural landscape of Dubuque. With Russ and Ruth’s passing in 2000 and 2002, respectively, board members and volunteers committed themselves to maintaining the core programs of the organization and guiding DCFAS toward a more sustainable future.  The challenge of reinventing Fine Arts Society has resulted in a number of new volunteers, committee and board members, bringing new ideas, energy, and vitality to the group while remaining true to its mission to provide free or low-cost access to arts experiences through a variety of cultural programming.