2025 Oceanside Plein Air Festival

Painting Southern California in the Open Air
September 6 - 13, 2025

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

Come together to celebrate creativity and the natural environment as artists take over our beautiful city with plein air painting. There will be Artist Workshops, Artist Networking Events, Easel Sales, Quick Paint Challenges, and Awards during the Festival. Artwork created during the Festival will also be up for selection for our Plein Air Exhibition that will run through November 2025 at Oceanside Museum of Art.

Important Dates

Early Bird Registration Ends: June 30, 2025
General Registration Period: Open through September 5, 2025
Festival: September 6-13, 2025
Submission Deadline and Jurying: September 11, 2025
Exhibition Opens: September 13, 2025

Scroll down for complete festival details!

Festival Overview

Open to Artists of All Skill Levels

Oceanside offers gorgeous coastlines, charming cityscapes, peaceful lagoons, rolling hills with lush flora and fauna, and the historic Mission San Luis Rey, among other visual splendor to capture on canvas or media of your choosing. Plein air painting is a painting completed in the field, on location, and “in the moment.” All skill levels are encouraged. Any artist may participate–they do not need to be members. However, members of OMA’s Artist Alliance group receive a discount on registration rates.

Check-In and Canvas Stamping

Beginning the week-long celebration of outdoor painting, artists make their first stop at OMA for canvas stamping and to pick up their welcome packet, including a full festival itinerary, tips for how to explore Oceanside, and information showcasing local businesses.

Paint Outs, Workshops, and Networking

To explore a variety of styles and techniques that draw from the rich traditions of plein air painting, artists will have the opportunity to participate in group paint outs, add workshops lead by the festival’s featured artists Drew Bandish, Lorraine Marie Cote, Ken Goldman, and Gia Moody, and mix and mingle with fellow artists over unique painting activities.

Quick Paint Challenge

Open to all registered festival participants, this fun, high-energy event brings together both artists and spectators for a two-hour burst of creativity highlighting one of Oceanside’s most iconic outdoor locations, Mission San Luis Rey. Artworks created during the Quick Paint will be eligible for awards, judged and presented immediately after the event, and may be taken to OMA for the Quick Paint Sale.

Awards Celebration and Art Sale

Celebrate the culmination of OMA’s third biennial Plein Air Festival and the opening of an exhibition of artwork created during the week with an awards presentation and art sale.

Juried Exhibition

This will be a rare opportunity to view and collect artworks from prominent plein air painters at pricing that is approachable for collectors at any level. The exhibition will be on view at OMA September 13, 2025-January 11, 2026.

The 2025 Oceanside Plein Air Festival Registration is Now Open!

The 2025 Oceanside Plein Air Festival Registration is Now Open

Join Us for the Adventure!

General Registration Includes:

Entry of up to two (2) artworks into the awards competition and exhibition jurying
Eligibility for awards (not including Best In Show)
Participation in the Quick Paint Challenge
Entry of one artwork into the Quick Paint Challenge Sale
Exclusive access to all communal “Paint Out” events and ticketed festival workshops led by the Festival Featured Artists, including on-location sales
One ticket to the Closing Event/Awards Ceremony on September 13

Oceanside Plein Air Festival 2025 Information

General Registration - $95-$115

$95 Early General Registration until June 30, $115 starting July 1

REGISTRATION INCLUDES:

Entry of up to two (2) artworks into the awards competition and exhibition jurying
Artwork selected for the exhibition will be offered for sale through the run of the exhibition, closing November 2025.
Eligibility for awards (not including Best In Show)
Participation in the Quick Paint Challenge
Participation in all communal “Paint Out” events, including on-location sales (ticketed workshops require separate registration)
Entry of one artwork into the Quick Paint Challenge Sale
One ticket to the Closing Event/Awards Ceremony on September 13
Access to ticketed festival workshops led by the Festival Featured Artists—Further details will be published soon!

OMA Artist Alliance Registration - $75-$90

$75 Early OMA Artist Alliance members until June 30, $90 starting July 1

Learn more about OMA Artist Alliance

REGISTRATION INCLUDES:

Entry of up to two (2) artworks into the awards competition and exhibition jurying
Artwork selected for the exhibition will be offered for sale through the run of the exhibition, closing November 2025.
Eligibility for awards (not including Best In Show)
Participation in the Quick Paint Challenge
Participation in all communal “Paint Out” events, including on-location sales (ticketed workshops require separate registration)
Entry of one artwork into the Quick Paint Challenge Sale
One ticket to the Closing Event/Awards Ceremony on September 13
Access to ticketed festival workshops led by the Festival Featured Artists—Further details will be published soon!

Student Registration - FREE

Student Registration is FREE with code PA25-Student.

A valid student ID must be presented upon arrival at OMA for festival check-in.

REGISTRATION INCLUDES:

Entry of up to two (2) artworks into the awards competition and exhibition jurying
Artwork selected for the exhibition will be offered for sale through the run of the exhibition, closing November 2025.
Eligibility for awards (not including Best In Show)
Participation in the Quick Paint Challenge
Participation in all communal “Paint Out” events, including on-location sales (ticketed workshops require separate registration)
Entry of one artwork into the Quick Paint Challenge Sale
One ticket to the Closing Event/Awards Ceremony on September 13
Access to ticketed festival workshops led by the Festival Featured Artists—Further details will be published soon!

Awards

Best in Show: $3,000 and Plein Air Magazine Half Page Award Ad ($2,400 value)
Second Place: $1,500
Third Place: $500

Further awards and prizes to be announced!

Select Artists

Call for Entries NOW OPEN: Oceanside Plein Air Festival 2025 Select Artists

Participate in Oceanside's Plein Air Festival in a bigger way and get exclusive opportunities as a Select Artist. 10 artists will be selected based on the merits of their portfolio. Work they create during the Festival will be included in an exhibition at the museum through November, and they will be eligible for the Best In Show prize.

Interested in competing to be a Select Artist in the festival? Now's your chance! Submissions are open, through June 2!

Take a look at the benefits chart to see the difference between participating as a Select Artist and a general artist.

SUBMIT HERE. DEADLINE TO ENTER IS JUNE 2

Benefits of being a Select Artist:

Only 10 artists will be selected
Guaranteed inclusion in the juried exhibition
Entry of three (3) artworks for exhibition jurying consideration
Eligible for Best In Show award - only compete against other Select Artists and the festival's four Featured Artists (all participating festival artists are eligible for further awards)
Name included in promotions
Waived Festival registration fees**
Full access to the scheduled festival activities

**Submission fees apply. If selected, artists will not pay further festival registration fees beyond the fees to submit for the Select Artist opportunity. Artists who submit but are not selected will be contacted to pay the remainder of the registration fee, if they are interested in registering for the Festival at the general level.

Email pleinair@oma-online.org with any questions.

Terms and Conditions

By registering, artists acknowledge and authorize the use of photos taken throughout the event, which may include artists and their artwork, for promotional use online and in printed materials for future events.

Artists acknowledge and agree that Oceanside Museum of Art will retain 50% of the sale price of individual art sales generated during the event.

Friends, neighbors, visitors, and art lovers are all invited to share in the wonder as we watch scenes of the ocean and beaches, landscapes, and cityscapes of Oceanside come to life on canvas and paper. Check out the Festival Schedule below!