Description

Experience the magic of Nocturne Painting Night during Cape Ann Plein Air 2026 on Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 6:00–9:00 PM on Bearskin Neck.

As daylight fades and evening settles over Rockport Harbor, Cape Ann Plein Air artists will spread throughout Bearskin Neck, painting the unique beauty of the village illuminated by moonlight, streetlights, shop windows, and reflections on the water. Nocturne painting is one of plein air's most exciting challenges, requiring artists to quickly capture the mood, atmosphere, and subtle colors that emerge after sunset.

Stroll the Neck, watch the artists at work, ask questions about their process, and experience one of the festival's most memorable evenings. It's a rare opportunity to see internationally recognized painters creating original works in real time while the harbor transforms under the evening sky.

Paintings created during the evening may be entered for this year's Best Nocturne Award, generously sponsored by longtime Cape Ann Plein Air supporters Leslie Lobell and Eric Timsak.

This event is free and open to the public. Visit our Events Calendar HERE for all the events taking place during Cape Ann Plein Air Week, October 3–11, 2026, as we celebrate 10 years of bringing world-class plein air artists to Cape Ann.