Columbia Festival of the Arts’ LakeFest returns to the Downtown Columbia Lakefront from June 12 to June 14, marking a free arts weekend celebrating performance, visual arts, and culture in Howard County. This is the 39th annual LakeFest weekend, and this year’s event will be produced by the Merriweather Arts Culture Center. Highlights will include multiple performances from the vertical dance company Eventi Verticali presenting “SPHERE,” live music on the LakeStage, an invitational fine arts and crafts show, food trucks, a beer wine garden, participatory workshops, “Umbrellas Abound at LakeFest” visual arts installation, and activities for all ages. “The 2026 event is a genuine celebration that brings together the arts and the community, offering award-winning live entertainment crafted to captivate audiences of all ages,” said Ian Kennedy, executive director of the Merriweather Arts and Culture Center, in a statement. “LakeFest will highlight the rich diversity of art that our County values, including several performances by home-grown Howard County artists alongside national, international and regional touring acts.” Some highlights of the 2026 LakeFest weekend include 14 live performances on the LakeStage from people like vocalist and songwriter Nik West, who has performed with Prince and opened for Quincy Jones and Lenny Kravitz; guitar virtuoso Ariel Posen, a Canadian Rock Artist of the Year nominee; The Garifuna Collective, celebrating the Garifuna people of Central America, voted by Amazon as the Number One World Music Album of All Time; Broadway singer Shayna Steel, who has sung backup for Bette Midler, Rihanna, and Kelly Clarkson; and other performers sure to entertain. Decorated golf umbrellas at previous LakeFest arts festival. Photo credit: Merriweather Arts Culture Center “Umbrellas Abound at LakeFest” will feature decorated golf umbrellas outlining Lake Kittamaqundi near the boat dock. Community members and groups will create colorful works of art using the golf umbrellas as canvases and LakeFest visitors will vote for their favorites. Winners will be announced on the last day of the festival on Sunday, June 14 at 1 p.m. For the youngsters, KidzArt Howard County will have “artrageously” fun activities, and there will also be face painting, caricature artists, and balloon twisters. Art lovers of all ages will enjoy more than 50 juried artists displaying and selling original artwork. When hunger pangs strike, a large selection of food truck favorites will be there to answer the call. Event hours are Friday, June 12 from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturday, June 13 from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday, June 14 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. LakeFest weekend will be held at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront, 10275 Wincopin Circle, Columbia. There is free parking, including accessible parking available nearby at the Wincopin Circle parking garages. Visitors can also park at the Sterrett Place lot located at 5575 Sterrett Place. (Please note, festival parking will NOT be available at Whole Foods Market.) Crowds take in the sights at LakeFest. Photo credit: Merriweather Arts Culture Center ...read more read less