Sketcher Fest 2026: Gabi Campanario's Travel Sketching Festival Returns to Edmonds
Gabi Campanario, founder of Urban Sketchers and Sketcher Press, launched Sketcher Fest in 2023 in Edmonds, Seattle, inspired by French carnet de voyage festivals. The 2026 edition takes place July 11-12 at the Edmonds Waterfront Center, featuring 20 international artists and nearly 600 ticket holders. Workshops include pocket sketch journals, live-sketching interviews, monochrome drawing, map sketching, and zine-making. The theme is 'Sketching with Purpose.' Campanario, a former Seattle Times staff artist, started Urban Sketchers on Flickr in the late 2000s, growing it into a global community. He emphasizes drawing as an authentic, human counterpoint to AI and digital media, calling it a 'universal language.' The festival is North America's largest travel sketching event.
Key facts
- Sketcher Fest is held annually since 2023 in Edmonds, Seattle.
- The 2026 edition occurs July 11-12 at the Edmonds Waterfront Center.
- Nearly 600 ticket holders and 20 international artists will attend.
- Gabi Campanario founded Urban Sketchers and Sketcher Press.
- Campanario is a former staff artist and columnist at The Seattle Times.
- The festival was inspired by French carnet de voyage festivals.
- Workshops include pocket sketch journals, live-sketching interviews, monochrome drawing, map sketching, and zine-making.
- The 2026 theme is 'Sketching with Purpose.'
Entities
Artists
- Gabi Campanario
- David Chamness
- Dominika Wroblewska
- Jenny Jing Zhang
- James Richards
- Cyrille Briand
- Mario Linahres
- Virginia Hein
- Sanika Phawde
- Marielle Durand
- Christina Wald
Institutions
- Urban Sketchers
- Sketcher Press
- The Seattle Times
- Edmonds Waterfront Center
- Flickr
- PRINT Magazine
Locations
- Seattle
- Edmonds
- Washington
- United States
- Spain
- Lisbon
- Portugal
- France
- South Korea
- Argentina
- Brazil
- California
- Laguna Beach
- Chicago
- Boston
- Los Angeles
- Gdansk
- Poland
- Pornichet
- Paris
- Mountlake Terrace