Festival at Sandpoint Announces 2026 Poster Contest Winners
The Festival at Sandpoint is excited to announce the three winners of its 2026 Poster Contest.
ABOUT CYNDIE HAMMOND:
Cyndie Hammond’s art piece “Shadow Serenade” was selected as the Festival’s winning Fine Arts Poster for the 2026 Summer Series.
Hammond is a third-generation North Idaho resident, with her grandpa having homesteaded on the south end of Lake Pend Oreille just east of the Long Bridge.
Her winning art piece is inspired by her experience and memories of the area’s lakes, rivers, mountains, and forests.
“Memories and joy underpin all my pieces, especially this one,” Hammond said. “My work is an invitation to the viewer, a visual feast of exuberant color and light to evoke personal memories, the warm, often forgotten snapshots of happiness, comfort, and celebration.”
Each artwork includes two to twenty layers of colored pencil, with the final piece requiring up to 45 hours, depending on the complexity.
“My work is an act of meticulous building, where layers of brilliant color accumulate to form surfaces that pulse with energy and optimism,” Hammond said. “By pouring this heartfelt intention into every stroke, I hope to connect the viewer to the profound, enduring embrace of joy, not as a fleeting moment, but as a rich, layered, and resonant experience.”
The winning art piece will be revealed on July 7, following the Festival’s annual Poster Unveiling and Sponsor Appreciation event.
The artist’s donation of this original piece is not only a tradition but a fundraiser for the non-profit organization’s mission. The original art is auctioned, with bidding beginning on July 7 and concluding at the Grand Finale performance on August 9.
ABOUT FENNIK JOHANSON:
Nine-year-old Fennik Johanson’s artwork was selected as the winning art piece of the Festival’s 2026 Youth Poster Contest. The piece features the state of Idaho, a guitar, a piano, sheet music, fireworks, and more.
The Festival’s Youth Poster Contest is a new and separate division of their annual Poster Contest for artists aged 14 and younger.
ABOUT ELLIE GIBSON:
Ellie Gibson’s art piece “Sunset on the Byway” was selected as the Series Lineup Poster for the 2026 Summer Series. Her piece is inspired by the view from a turn on the Pend Oreille Scenic Byway.
As a college student pursuing a degree in Graphic and Web Design from North Idaho College, she was selected to receive our 2026 Poster Contest Scholarship.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL AT SANDPOINT:
Learn more about the Festival’s 2026 Poster Contest winners and browse past posters at festivalatsandpoint.com/posters
The Festival at Sandpoint is a non-profit arts organization that hosts an annual Summer Concert Series in Sandpoint, Idaho. As a nonprofit, the Festival at Sandpoint strives to be a community catalyst for arts, culture, and education. The 2026 Summer Concert Series will take place July 30 through August 9 at War Memorial Field, an intimate venue on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. Beyond its performances, the Festival is committed to music education and community enrichment, offering year-round programming that is free and accessible. Visit festivalatsandpoint.com to learn more.