The woods are calling once again. Come dream with us.
Join us on Saturday, June 27 at 12:00 pm as Emberlight Festival launches its 2026 season with the official opening of Art in the Park.
Set beneath the towering trees of Miners Memorial Heritage Park, this celebratory afternoon marks the beginning of a summer filled with bold artistic visions, unexpected discoveries, and New Ways to Dream. Be among the first to experience this year’s expanded exhibition featuring large-scale installations from regional artists alongside two major community-centered Art For All projects, including a collaborative installation created with students from five area schools exploring Ojibwe doodems and cultural storytelling through art.
The opening ceremony will also feature a special performance by Woodland Sky Native American Dance Company in celebration of the Art For All projects and the Indigenous traditions that helped inspire this year’s student collaboration.
Artists, audiences, families, and community members will gather for a ribbon-cutting ceremony before stepping onto the Aurora Loop to explore the exhibition together. Throughout the afternoon, visitors can meet participating artists, experience the installations in the landscape they were created for, and celebrate the opening of Emberlight’s most ambitious Art in the Park season to date.
And while you explore, don’t forget to begin casting your votes online for this summer’s Audience Prizes, now featuring two divisions honoring both solo artists and community collaborations.
AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT
And don’t forget — your voice matters.
Festival audiences can vote online all summer long for this year’s expanded Audience Prizes, now divided into two categories:
- Solo Artist Audience Prize — $500
- Group/Organization Audience Prize — $500
The Grand Prize ($1,500) and Emberlight Choice Prize ($500) will be announced during the opening reception for Emberlight Photographers on July 15 at 4:00 pm at the Historic Depot Museum. The Audience Prize winners will be revealed during Emberlight’s closing concert event, Something Wonderful, on August 22.
ACCESSIBILITY
Complimentary golf cart tours will return this summer, offering an accessible and relaxing way to experience the exhibition. Tour schedules and online sign-ups will be announced in June. The golf cart will also be available to assist patrons attending Performance Infusions throughout the season.
MORE ART TO DISCOVER
Ironwood is becoming one of the Upper Midwest’s most unexpected destinations for visual art. Together with our friends at Downtown Art Place (DAP) and the Range Art Association, Emberlight is proud to help present 8 different art shows and creative events throughout July and August — from Art in the Park and Emberlight Photographers to Pathways in Photography, local gallery showcases, and more.
Art in the Park is also home to Emberlight’s Performance Infusions series. The Infusions are on Saturdays at 1pm and are FREE to attend.
There’s more art to discover across the community than ever before.
