More than 2,300 people visited Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden in Pennville for Finster Fest 2026, bringing visitors from across the country and the local community together for two days of art, music and celebration of one of Chattooga County’s best-known cultural landmarks.

Paradise Garden Foundation announced the attendance figure following this year’s festival, thanking the artists, musicians, volunteers, sponsors, patrons, visitors and community members who helped make the annual event possible.

Finster Fest is a signature event at Paradise Garden and celebrates the life, work and influence of internationally known folk artist Howard Finster. The two-day festival brings artists and musicians to the four-acre visionary art environment each year while introducing new visitors to Finster’s work and the community where he created it.

With Finster Fest now complete, Paradise Garden is turning its attention to a full schedule of fall activities.

The next event is “ART THAT MOVES — AND MOVES YOU,” a new exhibition featuring Georgia artist Charlie Dingler. The exhibition opens Saturday, October 10, at 2 PM, with Dingler scheduled to be at Paradise Garden to meet visitors.

Organizers say the exhibition’s name reflects two aspects of Dingler’s work. Some pieces literally come to life through movement, while others are designed to encourage viewers to stop, look and respond to the art.

Fall also offers visitors an opportunity to explore Paradise Garden outside the busy festival weekend. The historic site includes Finster’s mosaic pathways, artwork and structures spread across four acres, along with the restored World’s Folk Art Church.

Paradise Garden is also continuing a fundraising effort that allows supporters to purchase personalized bricks that will become part of the site. Proceeds from the brick program are being used to help improve accessibility at the Garden while supporting preservation of the historic property.

Paradise Garden was the home and creative environment of Howard Finster, who transformed the property into an elaborate collection of folk art, sculptures, mosaics, buildings and religious imagery. Today, the site continues to preserve Finster’s work while serving as an arts and cultural destination for Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia.