The “Hidden Turtles” Scavenger Hunt is Back Ahead of ArtsFest 2022!

We have some great news to share! Last year, we teamed up with MartinArts to launch the “Hidden Turtles” scavenger hunt. The goal was to showcase Martin County’s dynamic arts and culture scene while also generating excitement leading up to ArtsFest 2021. And people loved it! So, we decided to do it all again and bring back the Hidden Turtles for 2022.

This year, Palm City-based glass artist Dot Galfond of License to Kiln has created a limited edition collection of 50 signed and numbered glass sea turtle sculptures. In total, there are 14 bright blue, 15 chartreuse, 15 dark green, and 6 gold glass sea turtles. While last year’s turtles were available in teal and gold, we have expanded this year’s color selection, drawing inspiration from the hues of the recent MartinArts rebrand (which you should definitely check out if you haven’t see it already)!

The Hidden Turtles scavenger hunt will officially begin on Friday, January 14. In the weeks leading up to ArtsFest, these 50 turtles will be hidden at different stops along the Martin County Arts & Culture Trail. This free, mobile-exclusive trail features a range of award-winning museums, celebrated attractions, cutting-edge exhibits, historic sites, eclectic galleries, and engaging selections from the Martin County Art in Public Places program.

Residents and visitors alike can sign up to receive the full trail for free and can use the pass to learn more about these local points of interest. To participate in the scavenger hunt, simply explore the featured attractions along the trail—if you find a turtle, it’s yours to keep!

Hidden Turtles scavenger hunt is back for 2022!

Those who find one of the six gold-colored turtles will win a pair of VIP ArtsFest tickets along with special perks, including access to an exclusive evening gathering on Saturday, February 12. The prize for the other colored turtles will be a special “buy one get one” general admission ticket to ArtsFest 2022. This year, ArtsFest will take place on Saturday, February 12 and Sunday, February 13 in Gazebo Park in Downtown Stuart.

The turtles will be hidden in phases during the four-week period of the scavenger hunt launch (on January 14) until ArtsFest begins (on February 12). Each stop along the Martin County Arts & Culture Trail will have at least one turtle hidden on-site during the scavenger hunt. But there’s no schedule or pattern to follow—so your best bet is to go around and appreciate the arts right here in our own backyard!

The Martin County Arts & Culture Trail and corresponding Hidden Turtles scavenger hunt is an award-winning program, which was honored with a 2021 Destiny Award in the “Destination and Product Development” category (organized by the U.S. Travel Association) as well as a Gold Magellan Award in the “Overall Destinations: Cultural/Arts” category (organized by Travel Weekly).

Good luck and happy hunting!