The 3rd Annual Phoenicia Festival of the Arts Returns with a Five-Day Creative Celebration

Calling all art lovers and weekend wanderers! Get ready to ignite your imagination at the 3rd Annual Phoenicia Festival of the Arts, returning this Labor Day Weekend for five unforgettable days of artistic celebration in the heart of the Catskills.

Presented by VARGA Gallery & Studio, the festival is more than an art show—it’s a dynamic community experience built on collaboration, inspiration, and connection, all set against the stunning backdrop of the Catskill Mountains. From Thursday, August 28 to Monday, September 1, the charming hamlet of Phoenicia, NY transforms into a vibrant, open-air gallery—bursting with visual art, immersive installations, live performances, and hands-on workshops for all ages.

Whether you’re a local or just escaping the city, this town-wide festival invites you to explore, engage and take in a stellar mix of creativity. Save the date and come be a part of this art-inspired community celebration.

“The arts and culture are a key growth industry in Ulster County and have a huge impact on communities and their residents,“ Varga enthuses. “They’re integral to attracting diverse audiences, building a creative economy, and improving mental and physical well-being.”

The 3rd Annual Phoenicia Festival of the Arts 
August 28 – September 1, 2025 | Labor Day Weekend

This 5-day festival is jam-packed with activities celebrating the arts including various art exhibitions, outdoor sculptures, art installations, workshops, free live concerts and performances throughout town. This year’s annual Art Invitational reception begins at 6 pm on the Boardwalk at VARGA Gallery at 60 Main Street. 

This year’s Visual Artists include:

Noel Chrisjohn Benson, Brenna Chase, Courtney Dudley, Peter Head, Michael Hunt, Andrew Kirschner, Phoebe Legere, Elizabeth M. Lindy, Norm Magnusson, Paul McMahon, Eva Melas, Lindsay Gwinn Parker, Courtney Salerno, Christina Varga, Adam Zaretsky, Annie X. Christian.

This year’s line up of performers include:

Phoebe Legere, Gargie Verma (Dhrupad Indian classical), Forbidden Lovers, Andrea Ward (dance and vocals), HariPrakaash (sound bath & ceremony), Gus Mancini’s Sonic Soul Band, Peter Head, Ava Jaross (“Ava the Avatar” – fire performance), Laszlo Lang, Shamsi Ruhe, Amanda Jo Williams, Linda Mary Montano & Paul McMahon (performance art), Elizabeth Mihaltse Lindy (interactive paper sculpture) and Benjamin English & John Gabriel.

New this Year:

Phoenicia Gets a Public Mini Golf Course!

This year we will unveil an ecologically minded, up-cycled mini golf public art installation in Parish Field Park. Spearheaded by Christina Varga, the course reimagines “Lucid Dreaming: In Search of Lost Time,” originally created by Brendan Bo O’Connor and Liam Singer, previously exhibited at O+ Festival, ArtPort Kingston, Basilica Hudson, Rubulad Brooklyn, Opus 40, Athens Cultural Center and more.  Donated by O’Connor and Singer “in the hopes they can help seed other projects of whimsy and joyful mini-golf absurdity,” the course is being reimagined in collaboration with Varga, bio-artist Adam Zaretsky of BEAK (Bio Ethical Advisory Kommission), and Kurt Boyer (Boyer Signs).  

Film at the Phoenicia Playhouse: Identity, Art & Discovery

Also new this year, is the launch of a film program in partnership with the Phoenicia Playhouse, presenting three powerful films that explore themes of identity, culture, and transformation:

• The Gender Symphony by Phoebe Legere : A playful, poignant blend of commedia dell’arte, hand-drawn animation, and original music that explores “Politics of the Body.“ Featuring Ivan Galietti (Fellini’s Casanova), Lorenzo Pozzan (Queer, 2024), and Legere herself (Toxic Avenger, Mondo New York), the film uses costumes crafted from paper and found objects, and an award-winning score that fuses hardcore rock, experimental electronica, and Felliniesque circus music.
• Mixed Messages by Kathy Brew: An experimental video collage that incorporates found footage, performance, interviews with young girls, documentary, animation, images from advertising and television, and a dream narrative in a work that examines gender-stereotyping in popular culture, concluding with a post-modern version of the Pandora myth.  
• The Long Path: A Journey of Becoming by Shai Ben-Dor: A powerful documentary following Kim Levinsky’s 358-mile FKT (Fastest Known Time) on New York’s Long Path—chronicling a raw journey through mental health, healing, self-discovery, and the power of community.

See you there!

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Featured Photo at the top: The Forbidden Lovers | All Photos courtesy of The Phoenicia Festival of the Arts

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