Events Calendar

The Chincoteague Island Farmers and Artisans Market & Kitchen Art Gallery at the Chincoteague Cultural Alliance, 6309 Church Street, will kick off the 2026 season on May 9th from 9am - 1pm with 45+ vendors offering fresh local seafood, produce, other good things to eat and a wide array of arts & crafts.

Follow the Chincoteague Island Farmers and Artisans Market Facebook page for more information!

Chincoteague Island Farmers & Artisans Market & Kitchen Art Gallery Schedule:

Saturdays from May 19 to October 31

Wednesdays from June 17 to September 30 (except Tuesday July 28 during Pony Week)

Holiday Market Nov 28 – Saturday of Thanksgiving Day Weekend

Free parking, free admission

MARKET - Featuring local seafood, produce & other locally made foods, a wide array of arts & crafts, plus live music.

ART GALLERY - Diverse works by many talented local artists

LIVE MUSIC at the MARKET

Attention Kids & Parents:

Join the Chincoteague Cultural Alliance on the porch each week during the Island Farmers and Artisans market for a FREE kids craft!

Kids must be accompanied by an adult.

Plein Air Painting Workshop - Oct 16, 17, 18

$250.00

Instructor: Julie Riker

Friday, October 16: 6pm-8pm

Saturday, October 17: 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm

Sunday, October 18: 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm

Location: CCA at 6309 Church St, Chincoteague and various outdoor venues

Price: $250

Class Size Limit: 13

Student Age: 16 and up

The plein air workshop is open to painters of all mediums who would like to try painting outside - and also to artists who have experience painting outside but would like to improve their skills. I am an oil painter and will be demonstrating in oils but acrylic and watercolor painters will benefit from painting outdoors. You should use a medium that you are comfortable with. I will not be teaching you how to paint, but give you tools and tips to become a better painter.

What to expect:

We will begin with a Friday evening gathering at CCA where we will introduce ourselves and I will do a quick demonstration. You do not need to bring painting supplies on Friday night, but you might want to bring a sketch or notebook.

Saturday and Sunday will be painting days. You will be creating one or two small paintings each day.

I will be meeting with each artist in intervals as you work, which allows for individual attention. The lesson plan is flexible and I will tailor the teaching to each artist as they need it. We may do a group exercise if I think it is appropriate.

I plan to talk about important elements of painting outdoors - composition, values, and focusing on a subject. I may talk about my specific technique, but my goal is not to teach you to paint like me, rather to help you to improve your own painting voice.

We will take an hour lunch break each day. The class fee does not include lunch. You can bring a packed lunch or we will also be putting together a group order from a local restaurant. I may decide to give a discussion or demonstration while you are eating.

The locations will be determined later based on class size, weather, and your suggestions and will all be on Chincoteague Island. The class fee does not cover entrance to the park on Assateague, so we can decide if that is a place we want to paint.

We will have fun painting and learning together!

Teacher Bio

Pennsylvania artist Julie Riker calls herself an observational painter, preferring to paint from life, whether outside or in a studio setting. She has participated in many national painting competitions including the Chincoteague Plein Air Event in which she has been a painter for the last 11 years, and in 2021 she was awarded the purchase prize for her painting of the Island Creamery. Her work is frequently featured in Plein Air and Fine Art Connoisseur Magazines. She was the focus of an article in the February 2018 issue of Plein Air Magazine, and Southwest Art Magazine recognized her as an “Artist to Watch” in their October 2018 issue. Work can be viewed on her website www.julieriker.com.

Register for the workshop by clicking the BUTTON below. Confirmation will be sent to the email address you provide (please make sure it is correct). Print or save the confirmation email for your records. No refunds within two weeks of class date. Questions? Send us an email.