Art Fair Tampa opens Thursday at the Convention Center, with free public days Friday through Sunday

Dated location file photo: The Tampa Convention Center viewed across the water from Bayshore on Sept. 3, 2012. Photo: Dottie Riley / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Resized; website wordmark added. Photo source · License

Art Fair Tampa opens Thursday at the Tampa Convention Center, 333 S. Franklin St., and runs through Sunday, Oct. 18. The fair's website lists admission as free, and the City of Tampa's event listing marks it as free and open to the public.

The city describes the event as Tampa's first art convention and says it features 300 artists, including some it calls among the world's most prominent and rapidly emerging. The fair bills the four days as art, workshops and demonstrations, and its schedule lists artist demos, workshops and panel discussions.

Art Fair Tampa schedule

Day	Hours	Access
Thursday, Oct. 15	5–10 p.m.	VIP opening / collectors night
Friday, Oct. 16	10 a.m.–6 p.m.	Public, free admission
Saturday, Oct. 17	10 a.m.–6 p.m.	Public, free admission
Sunday, Oct. 18	10 a.m.–4 p.m.	Public, free admission

Source: artfairtampa.com; tampa.gov

Thursday is the VIP night

Thursday's opening is labeled a VIP opening night and collectors night, with Mayor Jane Castor scheduled to cut the ribbon at 5 p.m. The city's free listing begins Friday, Oct. 16, so the weekend days are the clearest bet for a free visit. Anyone interested in Thursday should check artfairtampa.com for entry details.

Today, Wednesday, is set aside for artist and exhibitor load-in only, so the hall is not open to visitors.

Before you go

Specific workshop and demo times may still be added. The fair offers a sign-up on its events page to get notified if times change or new sessions are added. Visitors who need disability accommodations can request them through the city's event page for the fair.