Sign up to paint inside the walls of Historic Fort Snelling on Saturday, October 3, 2026, and you may leave your painting(s) for display in a special exhibition at the Fort. A public reception will be held on Thursday, October 22, from 4-6pm — the last day of the exhibit, when painters may attend and retrieve their paintings.

Saturday, October 3 schedule:
8:30am - Painters may arrive to begin painting. You can paint outside the Historic Fort walls (landscape, historic walls, prairie grasses and plants, etc.) 10:00am - Fort opens to the public, the front gate opens, and costumed staff arrive. We will also have a cannon available to paint. 3:00pm-4:00pm We will have a spot to display art in the Historic Fort. OPM will bring tabletop easels. Painters must exit the Fort by 4:00pm when it closes to the public. Paintings may remain to be displayed until the closing reception on Thursday, October 22, from 4-6pm.

Admission and parking are free for all OPM members who register. No painting is allowed inside the historic buildings. At the paint-out, a small table with painting supplies will be set out for visitors who want to try their hand at painting.

Assumption of risk: Painters leaving paintings for display are advised that paintings will be exhibited inside a building that is open to the public and, while monitored by staff, might not be secure from theft. Participate at your own risk.