The 8th annual Cottontown Art Crawl returns on March 7th!
February 19, 2026
Annual Festival, Presented by Prisma Health, Enjoys its 8th Year in 2026.
The 8th Annual Cottontown Art Crawl, presented by Prisma Health, returns on Saturday, March 7, 2026 from 10am-4pm in the Cottontown/Bellevue Historic District in downtown Columbia. This FREE, family- and pet-friendly event hosts approximately 215 artists along with 20+ food vendors, live music and more!
The festival transforms the Cottontown/Bellevue neighborhood into a bustling, open-air gallery of creativity and culture with live music, food vendors and approximately 215 local and regional artists lining the streets with unique art that utilizes many different mediums such as paintings, ceramics, sculpture, photography, jewelry, fiber/textile arts and more.
The Cottontown Art Crawl is dedicated to promoting local artists, fostering community and showcasing the historic Cottontown neighborhood and its merchants. The crawl is organized by a passionate committee that believes in the power of art to unify a community.
“The entire Cottontown community is very proud of the Art Crawl. We started in 2019 with around 20 artists, and since then—due to a lot of hard work by a lot of people—our Art Crawl has grown to over 200 artists and has become a major event for the City of Columbia and Richland County,” stated Perry Rainey, Cottontown/Bellevue Historic District Neighborhood Association President. “We are excited to have a full stage of musicians this year, along with about 20 food trucks. We are looking forward to providing a great event for all attendees while promoting our local and regional artist community at the same time.”
The Cottontown Art Crawl welcomes approximately 7,000 visitors from around the region that range in age from children to senior citizens. In 2025, 38% of attendees traveled more than 50 miles to Columbia for the festival and attracts visitors statewide and from the southeast. More than 82% of attendees visit local restaurants and shops in the vicinity of the Cottontown neighborhood during the event.
The crawl is a significant event, not only for the Cottontown/Bellevue neighborhood’s residents and merchants, but also for the artists that participate. Last year, the participating artists recorded
more than $240,000 in sales during the 2025 event. Additionally, many of the neighborhood’s merchants have their best day of the year during the crawl.
Funds from grants and sponsorships help cover the cost of the festival and ensures a professionally produced event—with high-quality print and digital materials, signage, marketing and entertainment—resulting in a unique and memorable experience for all attendees.
This year, the festival has brought in a new presenting sponsor, Prisma Health, to help elevate the event to even greater heights. Their partnership has allowed the festival to place more advertising throughout the Midlands, Charlotte and Charleston, which helps to bring their love of art to more communities statewide.
“Prisma Health supports events that bring our communities together around shared passions— especially those, like art, that contribute to overall well-being,” said Jennifer Montgomery, Prisma Health Midlands Market CEO. “As the 2026 presenting sponsor of the Cottontown Art Crawl, we are proud to celebrate local talent and the role the arts play in strengthening community bonds. At Prisma Health, we are committed to improving the health and quality of life for all South Carolina residents, and investing in the arts is one way we help build a healthier, more vibrant Midlands.”
The festival will take place in the beautiful, historic Cottontown/Bellevue Historic District in downtown Columbia with festival boundaries of Summerville Avenue, Jefferson Street, Wallace Street and Main Street. A complete festival map can be found on CottontownArtCrawl.com.
What’s New in 2026:
- Our participating artists increased by 25%, so there will be 2 additional block closures to accommodate the extra foot traffic. The 1400 block of Summerville Avenue and the 2200 block of Wallace Street will now be closed to vehicles during the event.
- Food vendors have doubled to cut down on long lines, and you will find them in different blocks all down Sumter Street (2500 block to 2200 block), the 1700 block of Franklin Street and at the Indah Coffee Co. parking lot at 2238 Sumter Street.
- Thanks to the support of many local businesses along Main Street and the surrounding areas, we have increased parking options for attendees (see full list below). • Concealed weapons at the event are not permitted regardless of permit status.
Live Music Lineup:
- 3pm – Prettier Than Matt
- 2pm – Toni Esther
- 1pm – Stillhouse
- 12pm – Special Presentation from Cottontown/Bellevue Historic District Association and Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann
- 11am – The SilverTones
- 10am – Stampede
COTTONTOWN ART CRAWL RETURNS MARCH 7TH! PAGE 3
Ticketing:
- The Cottontown Art Crawl is a FREE family- and pet-friendly event!
Parking:
There will be several dedicated parking lots and street parking around Cottontown, but we do recommend:
- Parking at nearby public lots and on open streets
- Carpooling
- Rideshare services
Available Lots:
- Jeff Morris Furniture I 1208 Franklin Street I Handicap Parking
- Elmwood Church of God I 1427 Elmwood Avenue
- Puddin Swamp (DNL) I 2548 Main Street
- Trinity Partners I 1331 Elmwood Avenue
- Massey Engineering I 2500 Main Street
- SC Commission for the Blind I 1330 Confederate Avenue
- Christ Central Ministries I 2401 Main Street
- TPM I 2510 Main Street
- Midlands Media Group I 2412 Main Street
- Palmetto Life Church I 2204 Park Street
- Carolina Kernels I 2720 Main Street
- Studio 2LR I 1204 Confederate Avenue
Street Closures:
The festival will continue its tradition of placing artists on porches and lawns of homes throughout the Cottontown/Bellevue neighborhood. In addition, the following blocks will be closed to create a street fair atmosphere:
- 1300-1400 blocks of Summerville Avenue
- 1400 block of Victoria Street
- 1200-1400 blocks of Franklin Street
- 2200-2500 blocks of Sumter Street
- 2200-2500 blocks of Marion Street
- 2200-2300 blocks of Wallace Street
Inclement Weather:
The rain date is Sunday, March 8, 2026 from 12pm-5pm. If necessary, rain date decisions will be announced on Thursday, March 5 via CottontownArtCrawl.com and on Facebook and Instagram @cottontownartcrawl.
For more information on participating artists, food vendors, live music and festival FAQs on the Cottontown Art Crawl, presented by Prisma Health, please visit CottontownArtCrawl.com. You can also follow the festival @cottontownartcrawl on Facebook, Facebook Group and Instagram.
About the Cottontown Art Crawl
The Cottontown Art Crawl, founded in 2019, had humble beginnings. It was the vision of one Cottontown resident who invited a handful of her artist friends to bring their art and set up displays on a few front porches. With a few social media posts and handmade signs, the event attracted 300 people on a Saturday morning, and the Cottontown Art Crawl was born.
The festival transforms the Cottontown neighborhood into a bustling open-air gallery of creativity and culture with live music, food trucks and approximately 200 local and regional artists lining the streets with unique art that utilizes many different mediums such as ceramics, sculpture, photography, jewelry, fiber and more.
The Cottontown Art Crawl is dedicated to promoting local artists, fostering community and showcasing the historic Cottontown neighborhood and its merchants. The crawl is organized by a passionate committee that believes in the power of art to unify a community.
About the Cottontown/Bellevue Historic District
Established in the late 1890s, Cottontown is listed as the “Bellevue Historic District” in the National Register of Historic Places and is protected as an architectural conservation district by the City of Columbia. Bounded by Grace Avenue, Bull Street, Elmwood Avenue and Main Street, the neighborhood is remarkable as an intact example of one of Columbia’s earliest planned suburbs.
