Arts festivals are large gatherings of artists, generally focused on visual arts, though festivals for music and film are also quite common. Additionally, arts and crafts fairs focus on a variety of hobbies and crafts, including quilting and woodworking. There are many sources for determining the best United States art festivals. For instance, "Greg Lawler's 2011 Art Fair SourceBook," allows artists who attend festivals to register an account and write reviews and evaluations of the festivals, which are then ranked.
Fine art festivals in the United States are geared towards painters, sculptors and other fine artists, as well as collectors and dealers. The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts presents one of the oldest and most esteemed art shows in the country every summer through lectures, gallery talks and shows with their PAFA After Dark Festival. The La Quinta Arts Festival, held every year since 1982 in La Quinta, California, also presents a large variety of events, such as gallery talks and exhibitions. This festival has consistently ranked in the top 20 art fairs held in the United States by a variety of sources, including "Sunshine Artist Magazine" and "Greg Lawler's 2011 Art Fair SourceBook."
Determining which arts and crafts festivals are the best in the United States is based on what type of crafts the festival promotes. For instance, the Vermont Quilt Festival is the New England's oldest quilting event. Held annually since 1977 in Essex, Vermont, this festival features lectures, classes and appraisals for all levels of quilting enthusiasts. Amish Acres Arts and Crafts Festival, held since 2008 in Nappannee, Indiana, features over 350 vendors and $10,000 in prizes distributed to winning participants of the festival's craft competitions.
Art Basel Miami Beach is one of the most prestigious fine arts festivals in the United States. Since 2002, Art Basel Miami Beach has been operating as a sister art festival to the internationally renowned Art Basel held annually in Basel Switzerland. These festivals both showcase contemporary fine arts from around the world. Art Basel Miami Beach is held in December in a variety of different venues, including art galleries located in the Wynwood and Miami Design districts and in public parks and along the beach in the South Beach area. The festival is operated in conjunction with the Miami Museum of Art.