‘Art come to life.’ BAM!Fest returns to Bradenton Riverwalk for day of free fun
BAM!Fest is set to take over the Bradenton Riverwalk once again on Saturday, March 28, for a day of art, music and community connection.
After 12,000 people attended the festival’s debut in 2025, organizers expect as many as 20,000 this year, Realize Bradenton Executive Director Karen Corbin said. The free, family-friendly event will take place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., between the Green Bridge and the DeSoto Bridge.
Realize Bradenton, a nonprofit organization with a mission to “bring people together,” dreamed up BAM!Fest tosupport musicians, artists, small businesses and the overall community, Corbin said.
It’s also a celebration of one of Bradenton’s defining landmarks, the Bradenton Riverwalk.
“We found out that live artists, music and just giving people the experience of walking down that Riverwalk … was what people really enjoyed,” Corbin told the Bradenton Herald.
Short for Bradenton Art and Music Festival, BAM!Fest offers a variety of entertainment for all ages, including musical performances, live art, food and beverages, interactive activities, shopping and educational opportunities.
Here’s what’s in store for the festival’s second year.
Touch sea creatures and help the Manatee River
This year’s BAM!Fest features seven main stops with different opportunities for entertainment.
Working your way from the Green Bridge to the DeSoto Bridge, the first stop is the Eco Park at the Great Lawn — a fresh addition this year, Corbin said.
Bringing in a mobile aquarium that allows individuals to touch sea creatures, this area provides education on manatee conservation and “all of the wonders that are underneath the water,” according to Corbin.
Visitors can also help make oyster rag pots, an activity led by the non-profit organization, Oyster River Ecology. The community-made devices will later be installed in the Manatee River to help grow oysters that clean the water.
Watch live mural painting, music and shows
Continuing down the river, the art tower along the Riverwalk will feature a community mural and large canvases with elevated artists who will be “painting there all day long,” according to Corbin.
“You can come and go, and you can see how these beautiful pieces of art come to life,” Corbin said.
At the amphitheater, 20-minute blocks of entertainment that range from magicians to musicians will perform. With these fast-paced, endless performances, Corbin says visitors will never lose interest.
“You can either spend an hour, or you could spend the entire day there, and you would not get bored.”
Further down the Riverwalk, at Rossi Park, there will be live music, food, beverages and a range of yard games, such as giant Jenga and cornhole.
The splash pad will also be on at this location, so Corbin says that if you wish to participate in the water-based fun, she recommends bringing a towel.
As one makes their way further towards the DeSoto Bridge, Bat City Comics will have a tent in which individuals can create their very own comic book with the help of professional cartoonists.
Shop local art and see sandcastles sculpting
But the activities don’t stop there.
This year’s BAM!Fest will offer an opportunity for some shopping at the Atomic Bazaar, where visitors can browse eclectic items from local small businesses.
“There are very unique types of things that they create… that you just don’t find everywhere,” Corbin said.
Finally, just before you get to the DeSoto Bridge, the volleyball courts will feature a sandcastle display in which an artist will create an intricate sandcastle as bystanders watch. The artist will also have a microphone to explain their creative thought process as the sandy masterpiece is constructed, Corbin said.
This area will also feature opportunities for children to create their own sandcastles alongside the artist, and there will be a tiki bar with adult beverages, such as the BAM-arita, according to Corbin.
Corbin noted that there will also be surprise “roving entertainment” along Riverwalk.
‘There are so many different things you can do’
For this year’s BAM!Fest, Corbin says the goal was to have “a variety” of attractions so that there is sure to be something that speaks to each individual.
“There is something for everyone from the age of nine to the age of 90,” Corbin said. “You can find your way around, and you can find the entertainment that you’re looking for, all while you’re looking out on this beautiful Manatee River that is all ours.”
Corbin said she hopes this art and music festival will become a lasting, signature event in Bradenton.
“There are so many different things you can do every year that it would take a very long time for it not to be fresh and different,” Corbin said.
Corbin says the nonprofit is always looking for ideas to make the next event better.
“We want to hear from the community … If you see something cool, come and tell us,” Corbin said.
BAM!Fest hours and info
Festival date and hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 28.
Location: Bradenton Riverwalk, between the Green and DeSoto bridges.
Admission: Free.
Parking: Free weekend parking available at the Judicial Center Parking Garage, 615 12th St. W., Bradenton; Manatee County Administration Building, 414 10th St. W., Bradenton and City Centre Parking Garage on Third Avenue West.
More info: RealizeBradenton.com/bamfest.
Volunteers wanted: To volunteer for the festival, call 941-301-8445.
