2026 Festival Jurors
Dana Scheurer, Alive at Reston Town Center, 2008
Tephra ICA Arts Festival
May 16-17, 2026 | Reston Town Center
Generously Sponsored by Capital One Hall
The Tephra ICA Arts Festival is celebrating 35 years! The annual Tephra ICA Arts Festival is a competitive, juried event that is consistently rated as one of the best outdoor art festivals in the country. This year, we are celebrating 35 years! To mark this milestone, we've added a new People's Choice Award in honor of Festival Founder, Judith Forst, and will also be recognizing American craft traditions as part of the 250th Anniversary of the United States.
These additions will further amplify our long-standing reputation for presenting high quality, one-of-a-kind artwork in the dynamic, open-air setting of the Reston Town Center. Known colloquially as “the Reston Show,” the Festival attracts patrons and knowledgeable collectors from the Washington, DC metropolitan region and beyond. In 2025, the Festival saw a 40% increase in visitors for a record 40,000+ attendees.
Hours and Directions
May 16, 10am–6pm
May 17, 11am–5pm
Rain or shine
Reston Town Center in Reston, VA.
Schedule of Events:
Artist Booths | Saturday: 10AM–6PM & Sunday: 11AM–5PM
200 artists from around the country
Glass Blowing Demo with Workhouse Arts Center | Daily: 10AM–5PM | Reston Town Square Park
Experience the excitement and artistry of glass in motion with live demonstrations from the Workhouse Arts Center Mobile Glass Studio.
Festival Art Park | Daily: 12–4PM | Reston Town Square Park
Engage in a free art project and fun for all. Hosted by South Lakes High School STEAM Team and Sponsored by Public Art Reston.
PearsonWidrig DanceTheater Performance | Daily: 1PM & 3PM | Reston Town Square Park
Sponsored by Reston Community Center.
Reston Concerts on the Town | Saturday: 7:30 | Reston Town Center Pavilion
Free public concert and extended Sip & Stroll hours. Presented by Reston Town Center Association.
Guided Tour of Award Winners | Sunday: 11AM & 1PM
Meet at Reston Town Center Pavilion. Join Festival jurors for a tour of the 12 artist recipients for the 2026 Festival Award Winners
Parking and Transportation
Garage parking at Reston Town Center is free during the Festival weekend. For public transportation, take the Metro Silver Line to Reston Town Center Station. The Festival is a 10-minute walk from the Metro station or a quick shuttle ride via Link RTC.
Volunteer at the Festival
Our volunteers help make this event possible each year! Festival volunteers fill a variety of roles, including but not limited to: event set-up, welcoming of guests, supporting artists, or helping create fun projects in the Festival Art Park. Sign up individually, with a friend, or as a group!
Read more about each role and register below:
Award Breakfast Check-In & Food Servers
Festival Volunteers
Festival Block Captains
Art Park Workshop Adult Volunteers
Festival Artist Check-In
Pre-Festival Production Assistants
Artist / Hospitality Lounge Volunteer
Capital One Hall | 2026 Title Sponsor
Tephra ICA is excited to have Capital One Hall returning as the Title Sponsor of the 2026 Tephra ICA Arts Festival.
