The City of South Portland’s Art in the Park is an annual summer favorite for both artists and attendees dating back to 1980. Held on the second Saturday in August in beautiful Mill Creek Park, the show features original art and photography by up to 170 artists, a food court, and music in the afternoon. Admission is free to the public. The show opens at 9:00 a.m. and closes at 4:00 p.m.

Prize winners are announced at noon at the gazebo. Prizes range from Best in Show ($1000) to Merit Awards  (five at $200 each) and include Best Photo in Show ($600). The Judges’ Tent, with one submission by each artist in the show will not be open to the public so as to allow the artists to retrieve his/her artwork and allow it to be shown at their individual stands. 

Costs of the show are paid for by artists’ fees and donations from sponsors. Revenues over and above costs of running the event are used for park improvements. Past improvements have included the gazebo, the fountain, a contribution toward holiday lighting, as well as to the city’s Greenbelt Walkway and the re-design of the park itself.​

Art in the Park also awards a $1000 scholarship every year to a student graduating from South Portland High School who is going on to study art in college.