MOUNT VERNON — The Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival (MVMAF) will enter a new chapter in 2027.
After nearly four decades of bringing music, art and community together in Mount Vernon, the 39th annual festival relocates to Ariel-Foundation Park on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 11, 12 and 13, 2027.
The festival’s board of directors voted in August to make this move after speaking with several community stakeholders and volunteers. MVMAF remains part of the Mount Vernon Presents calendar and spoke openly with local arts partners and city officials about a potential move over the last year.
The move represents an opportunity to build on the festival’s history while creating new possibilities for musicians, artists, families, visitors, vendors, volunteers and the entire community.
“The Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival has always been about more than music and art—it’s about people, community, and the memories we create together,” said Noelle Walton, festival director.
“We’re truly excited about our new location and date and the opportunities they bring to grow this special event in new and meaningful ways. While some things may look different, the heart of the festival remains the same: bringing our community together, celebrating talent and creativity, and creating a place where everyone feels welcome. We’re grateful for the continued support of our community and can’t wait to begin this next chapter together.”
A new setting for a longstanding tradition
The move to Ariel-Foundation Park provides a new setting in which the festival can grow and expand its programming.
The park’s expansive footprint will provide opportunities for a more flexible festival layout, but most importantly, it will provide a weatherproof location in the Schnormeier Event Center for the main concerts.
It will also give the festival room to explore additional programming and activities in the years ahead.
Signature areas of the park, along with its strategic location along the Heart of Ohio and Kokosing Gap trails, also fit into the festival’s plans to have creative and fun additions to the event.
Logistically, this move also frees up the downtown business district from having streets closed over a four-day period while a major traffic project is already happening (Ohio 13).
MVMAF’s mission is to celebrate the arts
The Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival exists to present a celebration of the arts: creating experiences that entertain, educate and inspire and uniting artists and audiences within the historic backdrop of Mount Vernon.
“This is not about leaving behind the traditions that made this festival special. It’s about taking that tradition with us and giving it room to grow,” Joe Rinehart, festival board chair and marketing coordinator, said.
“Change always brings some excitement and some questions, especially when a community tradition has been part of people’s lives for so long. We understand that. We also believe the future is incredibly exciting.”
New time reduces scheduling conflicts
The 2027 festival will move from its traditional August dates to June 11–13. The shift in county and regional school schedules has brought several festivals up against the start of school, leaving some volunteers, performers and attendees unable to be part of the weekend.
Conflicts with major regional events like the Hartford Fair and the Richland County Fair have limited artisan, vendor and food truck participants.
The new date also allows the festival to partner with the Mount Vernon Presents ‘Summer Kickoff,” adding to an already robust start to the summer calendar of events around the community in June.
Although the location and dates are changing, organizers emphasize that the festival’s mission and commitment to bringing people together through music and the arts remains at the center of the event.
Additional details about performers, artists, vendors, activities and the 2027 festival schedule will be announced as plans develop.