The 39th Stormy Weather Arts Festival opens tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 6, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 8. The Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce promises more than 50 events, including artist demonstrations, workshops, receptions, buskers and a Saturday concert. Two of the biggest openings this Friday stay on the walls until mid-December. For residents, the weekend is the start of a six-week run.
This was the festival's purpose from the start.
It Was Built for November, by Locals
The Chamber's history of the festival says it began in 1987 "as a way to bring energy to the shoulder season, when quiet streets and stormy skies made Cannon Beach feel a little more tucked away." The first version was a quick draw among locals. The finished artwork was auctioned off, and the money went to the Chamber. The festival marked its 30th anniversary in 2017 and has since grown into a weekend that pulls visitors from across the region.
The 2026 calendar has no quick draw. The Chamber's online schedule shows 47 entries for the weekend, and they lean toward gallery receptions, demonstrations and paid workshops. A shoulder-season event made by locals still sits under all of that, though. You can see it most clearly in the free events and in the shows that are still up once the out-of-town cars are gone.
Friday Is the Opening Night for the Whole Season
Friday afternoon has the most openings. Several of them are the first night of an exhibition, not a one-time event.
| Friday, Nov. 6 | Where | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Miniature Show opening, Cannon Beach Arts Association | Cannon Beach Gallery, 1064 S. Hemlock St. | 4–6 p.m. | Free |
| New Mixed Media Group Show opening | White Bird Gallery, 251 N. Hemlock St. | 4–6 p.m. | Not listed |
| Art evening | The Ocean Lodge, 2864 Pacific St. | 4–7 p.m. | Not listed |
| Artist reception and music | DragonFire Gallery, 123 S. Hemlock St. | Check listing | Not listed |
| Reception | Icefire Glassworks, 116 E. Gower St. | Check listing | Not listed |
The Cannon Beach Arts Association's reception is the only one on that list marked free in the Chamber listing. Many other receptions and demonstrations don't say whether there's a charge, so check with the gallery before you assume either way.
The Two Shows That Outlast the Crowd
MICROCOSM at Cannon Beach Gallery
This year's Annual Miniature Show is called MICROCOSM. Every piece is 6 × 6 inches or smaller, about 36 square inches. Rectangular works like a 5 × 7 are allowed as long as they feel miniature in scale. The theme invites "everyday scenes, imagined landscapes, delicate details, whimsical moments, and invented creatures."
On the Cannon Beach Arts Association's exhibits page, the show runs from Nov. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 20. The Chamber's event listing gives Dec. 13. If you're saving your visit for a slow December afternoon, call the gallery at (503) 436-0744 first.
Small pieces reward a slow look. A rainy Tuesday in December with nobody around is the best time to see a wall of them, and you can't get that on festival Friday.
Mixed Media at White Bird
White Bird Gallery's calendar lists its New Mixed Media Group Show as running through Dec. 15. The featured artist is Valerie Savarie, who makes altered book sculpture. The show also brings in new and guest artists working in ceramics, metal, book art, sculpture, collage, glass and photography. The festival weekend adds a few things you can only catch in person:
- Saturday, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.: book carving demonstration with Valerie Savarie
- Saturday, 2:30–4:30 p.m.: live music by local musician Wes Wahrmund
- Saturday, 5–7 p.m.: festival reception with the artists
- Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.: gallery open
Here's a sensible split. See Savarie carve on Saturday while she's in town. Come back in early December, when the work is still up and the street is quiet.
The Weekend-Only Moments
Some events last only as long as the festival itself. These are worth planning around:
- Ronni Harris meet-and-greet. Harris is the official 2026 poster artist and will be at the Chamber building Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.
- Live watercolor at Salty Raven. Seasons Sparks paints live from noon to 4 p.m. on all three days at 179 E. 1st Ave., Suite 105, and it's free.
- Sand art at the Visitors Center. Supplies are out Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a suggested $2 donation.
- DragonFire demonstrations. DragonFire Gallery follows Friday's reception with artist demonstrations and a reception Saturday and more demonstrations Sunday at 123 S. Hemlock St.
- The Spotlight Concert. Scott, Bailey & Ross play the Coaster Theatre Playhouse, 108 N. Hemlock St., on Saturday, Nov. 7. Doors open at 7 p.m., the show runs 7:30 to 10 p.m., and tickets are $29 through the Chamber's ticket page.
Other venues on the Chamber's schedule include Bronze Coast & Brumfield Galleries at 224 N. Hemlock St., Suite 2, House of Orange at 107 Sunset Blvd., the Wine Shack at 124 N. Hemlock St., and Steidel Community Hall at 207 N. Spruce St.
The Paid Workshops, Priced
The workshops cost the most and take the most time, and they're the closest thing left to the festival's hands-on start. Registration goes through the same Chamber ticket page.
| Workshop | Day | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Edible watercolors with Meagan Hughes | Friday | $35 |
| Atmospheric landscapes in cold wax and oil with Lorrie Vogel | Friday | $100 |
| How to photograph your dog | Friday | $100 |
| Fabric collage with Becky DeVries-Wong | Saturday | $100 |
| Coastal Impressions, painting and wine with Trijsten Leach, at the Wine Shack | Friday | $125 |
The edible watercolors class costs $35, about a third of most of the others. It's the cheapest way to make something this weekend instead of just watching.
Getting Your Own Work on the Wall Next November
The 2026 Miniature Show is non-juried and open to members of the Cannon Beach Arts Association. Artwork had to be at the gallery by Nov. 1. This year's deadline has passed, but the setup shows how easy it is for a resident to be in next year's show.
Membership is $15 for students, $35 for individuals and $55 for families each year. Every tier includes 10% off gallery purchases, workshops and events, a 60/40 split on art sold through the gallery, eligibility for the November Members-Only Show, and a social media feature on request. The listing doesn't mention any residency requirement. In 1987 locals made the art themselves in a quick draw. A $35 membership is the closest thing to that today.
Coffee and Getting Around
If you want a warm cup between Hemlock Street stops, Kith + Keel took over the downtown space that was home to Sleepy Monk Coffee Roasters for 15 years. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported in February that owner Hunter Daggett said longtime customers shouldn't expect many changes.
The Chamber's transportation page calls Cannon Beach walkable. It points to the NW Connector's local Cannon Beach shuttle and links the city's parking guide. Neither page posts a festival-specific shuttle schedule for this weekend. The Ocean Lodge on Pacific Street and the Cannon Beach Gallery on South Hemlock are at the south end of the festival, so a walk from midtown makes sense before Friday's 4 p.m. openings.
Jamay and Taylor at PNW Real Estate Experts think Stormy Weather shows what Cannon Beach is like once the summer crowd leaves. If walking the galleries this month has you wondering what your own place in town is worth, ask us for a free home valuation. There's no pressure, just a straight answer from neighbors who know these streets.
