In the mid-1960s, the culture in America changed dramatically. A demand for personal freedom of expression erupted among the nation’s youth, including a vibrant arts and crafts movement. Here in Laguna Beach, that creative energy attracted an influx of young artists. Fueled by a passionate desire for artistic independence, the Sawdust Festival was born.

We held our first show in 1965 on the Peacock lot near Coast Highway. In 1968, the Funk family leased us a 3-acre eucalyptus grove in the Canyon where we formed an annual small village or camp of artists living in Laguna Beach. Sawdust was about creating an environment for the public to view. Within a concentrated period of time and space, we'd generate a dazzling variety of artistic forms and expressions before their eyes.

With over 160 artists transforming their ideas into works of art, the 1970s ensured the Sawdust Festival’s place in the Laguna Beach art scene. By 1976, we had become a true destination with many artists on a waitlist to exhibit. Eventually purchasing the property we occupy today, it soon became clear that it was time to build some infrastructure with a permanent fence, restrooms and other buildings planned.

The '80s were prosperous years. Growth of the Sawdust Festival began to necessitate full-time staff and permanent structures. The self-governed artists established more comprehensive by-laws and show rules. During this decade, dramatic and towering façades were created every year, reflecting the courage and originality of the pioneer artists who dared to be different.

In 1991, the Sawdust's Winter Fantasy was established as a holiday-themed art festival wonderland. The '90s proved to be a turbulent decade as many artists were in crisis following a terrifying firestorm and huge mudslides in the canyon which consumed several of their homes and studios. Thanks to Sawdust visionaries, the Sawdust Benevolence Fund had been created and the community quickly rallied to help artists in need.

The Sawdust enjoyed some banner years in the early 2000s and endured the economic collapse of the late 2000s. With an eye on local impact and a commitment to educate the public about art, Sawdust began to develop year-round arts programming. We also established the Sawdust Art Enrichment Fund, supporting philanthropic art programs and outreach to local schools.

Since 2010, Sawdust Art Festival has continued to grow as a community of local artists, while building on a legacy that now spans multiple generations. Over the past 15+ years, Sawdust has welcomed emerging artists alongside longtime artists, creating a community where artists can build their careers, share their craft, and connect with audiences. 

Today, we are seeing the evolution of that legacy through second- and third-generation Sawdust artist families whose connection to the Festival has been passed from one generation to the next. As Sawdust looks toward the future, the Next Gen Committee is focused on finding new ways to bring emerging artists into the community, create opportunities for the next generation, and connect new artists with the knowledge and experience of those who came before them. It is about honoring the artist lineage that makes Sawdust unique while continuing to build a strong, evolving artist community for generations to come.