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An Unforgettable Weekend at the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival
For one unforgettable October weekend, the heart of La Jolla will once again become a colorful open-air gallery filled with art, music, food, wine, families—and a community coming together for a cause.
Returning to Girard Avenue on Saturday, October 10, and Sunday, October 11, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m, the free La Jolla Art & Wine Festival (LJA&W) is expected to welcome tens of thousands of visitors to the Village for one of La Jolla’s most anticipated annual events.
But behind the beautiful artwork, lively music and festive atmosphere is a mission that has defined the event since its beginning: supporting La Jolla’s public schools.
A Festival Born From Community
In 2008, La Jolla resident and community advocate Sherry Ahern decided it was time to bring a major fine-art celebration back to La Jolla.
From the beginning, however, Ahern envisioned something larger than an art show. She approached La Jolla’s five public schools, La Jolla Elementary, Bird Rock Elementary, Torrey Pines Elementary, Muirlands Middle School and La Jolla High School, with the idea that proceeds from the festival would directly benefit local students.
Since its inception, LJW&F has raised more than $1.7 million for local public schools, helping support programs in art, music, science, physical education, technology and more, positively affecting thousands of students.
Giving back is hardly new territory for Ahern.
In 1998, she founded the La Jolla Open Aire Farmers Market through the Friends of La Jolla Foundation, with proceeds benefiting La Jolla Elementary School.
Ahern also helped introduce something that has since become commonplace at farmers markets: artisans. “I was the first to bring artisans to a market,” she says. “It adds another layer that all customers love.” This popular Sunday market has become one of San Diego’s best-known community markets, bringing together farmers, vendors, neighbors and artisans each week.
170 Artists. Endless Inspiration.
At the center of the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival is the art.
This year, approximately 170 artists will transform Girard Avenue into a spectacular outdoor gallery featuring painting, photography, sculpture, textiles, clothing, fiber art, mixed media and more. Artwork begins at accessible price points around $50 and extends into the thousands, giving both first-time buyers and experienced collectors an opportunity to discover something special and to meet the artists themselves.
Visitors can hear the stories behind the pieces, learn about creative techniques and discover the inspiration that transformed an idea into a finished work of art.
For seasoned collectors, the festival offers the thrill of discovering a new artist. For casual admirers, it offers the simple joy of walking through a beautiful seaside community surrounded by creativity.
Featured Artist: Doug Merskin
This year’s featured artist, Doug Merskin, brings an especially dynamic sense of movement in art to the festival.
A Florida-based mixed-media artist with studios in Florida and Southern California, Merskin draws from a background in construction and architecture. His work blends structure, experimentation and fluidity, often inspired by the oceans that have shaped his life.
About seven or eight years ago, Merskin says his artistic direction began to change. He became fascinated by the idea of giving his work a sense of continuous movement rather than allowing the surface to remain visually flat.
“Mimicking the flow of the water—the ocean, a lake or a river—gave me a totally different perspective of my creations,” he says. “I felt they became alive.”
That sense of movement has become a signature of his work.
Merskin generally begins each piece with a vision and a carefully selected color palette. The colors help determine the direction and movement of the fluid painting process. Only after the artwork has cured does another unexpected stage begin: sculpting.
“People are always surprised to know that my pieces are created flat and that the sculpting process comes at the end,” he says.
The finished works often seem to move beyond the traditional boundaries of a painting, combining color, form and dimension.
For Merskin, water is more than a subject. It is part of his personal history.
He grew up in South Florida surrounded by surfing, diving and sailing through the Caribbean. After moving to California at age 18, the Pacific Ocean also became inspirational.
“The colors of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea” continually find their way into his work, he says, alongside the powerful shades of the Pacific.
One of his most personal works, “Mona Pass,” was inspired by sailing between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico through the Mona Passage, the strait connecting the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
Merskin remembers seeing extraordinary bioluminescence in the water—glowing combinations of greens, blues and gold. He translated that experience into the artwork through turquoise, blues and golds infused with illuminating pigments that glow in the dark.
For Merskin, the goal is not simply for people to look at his work. He wants them to feel something. “I want people to feel immersed in color and movement,” he says. “I want them to experience the same sense of energy, depth and freedom I find in the ocean and carry that feeling with them.”
While audiences see the final artwork beautifully displayed, Merskin says the life of a working artist requires far more than creativity.
Behind every finished piece are schedules, commissions, art shows, gallery events, travel, client meetings and the ongoing challenge of creating new work.
Merskin and his wife travel throughout the country participating in shows, while he continues creating between exhibitions and commissions.
His advice to artists hoping to build a sustainable career is straightforward: “Go big.”
That means believing in the value of the work, presenting it professionally, developing a business plan and remaining patient.
“There will be shows where you make zero sales,” he says. “But the most important thing is to be consistent. Show up to the next art show.”
Sometimes, he notes, collectors purchase a piece years after first discovering an artist.
“Be flexible to changes and keep yourself curious.”
That sense of curiosity also shapes Merskin’s dream collaborations. A lifelong lover of nature, he cites David Attenborough and Luis Sottil as inspirational figures who employ nature in their work.
More Than an Art Show
While fine art is the heart of the weekend, the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival has developed into a full community celebration.
Approximately 45,000 visitors make their way through the festival each October. A popular Wine & Beer Garden, the only ticketed portion of the festival, welcomes guests ages 21 and over. With room for approximately 1,500 people, the garden combines wine and beer with live entertainment from the festival’s main stage.
Live bands, roving performers, dance and circus-style entertainment help create an atmosphere that stretches well beyond a traditional art fair.
Food is another major attraction. A gourmet food court and seating area gives visitors a place to recharge with favorites including pizza, Mexican and Greek cuisine, homemade ice cream and much more.
On Wall Street, the Family Art Center, sponsored by Geppetto’s Toys, becomes an interactive playground for creativity and discovery.
Activities range from art projects and storytelling to robotics and a petting zoo, with experiences designed for children from toddlers through tweens.
Elsewhere throughout the festival, guests will find interactive murals, entertainment and a showcase of beautifully customized lowrider automobiles presented by Mike Davey Auto Body.
The result is an event in which grandparents, parents, teenagers and young children can all find something to enjoy.
A Second Chance
Another especially meaningful part of the festival can be found along the sidewalks.
Adoptable animals, sponsored by Ark Antiques, give visitors the opportunity to meet dogs, cats and birds searching for permanent homes.
More than 100 animals are adopted through the festival each year, turning an afternoon outing into a life-changing day for families—and their newest four-legged or feathered companions.
Bid for a Cause
The festival’s extensive silent auction is another important fundraising element.
Available both in person and online through OneCause, the auction includes an assortment of memorable experiences, products and original art donated by participating artists.
The 2026 silent auction opens October 2, giving supporters an opportunity to begin bidding before festival weekend.
Every purchase, bid and contribution ultimately connects back to the purpose established by Sherry Ahern nearly two decades ago: creating something beautiful for La Jolla while giving something meaningful back to its children. For two days, its village streets become filled with paintings, sculptures, music, conversations, families, food, animals awaiting adoption, glasses raised among friends and thousands of people discovering artists they may remember for years.
“There’s something there for everyone,” Ahern says.
And after more than $1.7 million raised for La Jolla’s public schools, that “something” has become much more than a weekend celebration. It has become a La Jolla tradition.
The La Jolla Art & Wine Festival runs October 10–11, 2026; 10 a.m.–6 p.m. on Girard Avenue in La Jolla. Admission to the festival is free. Wine & Beer Garden admission is ticketed and limited to guests ages 21 and over. For more information, email info@lajollaartandwinefestival.com
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