Friday, 18 September through Sunday, 20 September 2026.
Each September, Augusta's largest arts festival fills a weekend with music, food, and color. Arts in the Heart of Augusta returns September 18–20, 2026, and the question for any group planning to attend is the same one every festival weekend raises: where to stay.
The festival
Arts in the Heart of Augusta is the region's signature cultural event, drawing well over 100,000 visitors each year. More than 130 fine arts and crafts vendors set up alongside a Global Village representing over fifteen countries, with continuous music, dance, theatre, and spoken word across multiple stages. A dedicated family area keeps the weekend enjoyable for the youngest guests, and the food matches the festival's international character.
This year the festival runs at the Augusta Exchange Club Fairgrounds, 308 Hale Street, while downtown construction continues. Hours are Friday 5:00–9:00 p.m., Saturday 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m., and Sunday 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Festival weekend
A three-day festival with staggered hours rewards a group that has its own kitchen, its own parking, and a place to rest between sessions. A downtown hotel room works for one couple. It does not work as well for a family reunion, a group of friends splitting the drive from out of town, or a crew that wants to catch Friday evening, all of Saturday, and Sunday afternoon without repacking a car three times.
Where to stay
The Pine Cone is a five-bedroom residence on 1.2 private acres in Evans, Georgia, about fourteen miles from the fairgrounds — a twenty-two-minute drive door to door. It accommodates twelve guests in comfort, and up to sixteen with two queen air mattresses with headboards, available upon request. Five bedrooms, two and a half baths, and one address make the arithmetic easy for a group splitting a festival weekend.
The chef's kitchen, with its double oven and wine refrigerator, lets a household cook its own breakfast before a full day of walking the festival grounds. The game room, with its arcade, foosball table, and 65-inch television, gives the group somewhere to land after Saturday's late finish. The hot tub and fire pit handle Friday and Saturday evenings. The wrap-around drive offers several private parking spaces on 1.2 acres, room enough for the group's cars, a trailer, or a couple of boats, so nothing has to be left on the street.
Distances
- Augusta Exchange Club Fairgrounds: 14 miles
- Augusta Regional Airport (AGS): 18 miles
- Augusta National Golf Club: 8 miles
- Kroger and Walmart Supercenter: 2 miles
Reserve festival weekend
Festival weekends fill quickly, and the residence is reserved by one party at a time. Check availability for 18–21 September 2026, or reserve directly. Direct reservations carry no booking-platform fee. Questions about the house or the weekend? Write to inquiry@thepineconestr.com. The host answers personally, typically within the hour.
Festival details from the Greater Augusta Arts Council. Please confirm schedules and location at artsintheheartofaugusta.com.