Pat Fay’s Arts & Crafts Award Show at Great Train Robbery June 27 and 28

Story by Bernadette Cahill

Pat Fay, one of the High Country’s leading jewelry artists and craft show divas, and her company Mountain Top Promotions, are once again bringing to the area the art show to beat them all.

It’s the Weekend in the Mountains Award Show, to be held in the parking lot at the Great Train Robbery in Banner Elk on Saturday and Sunday, June 27 and 28, from10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days. Admission to the event and parking are free.

For the fifth year running, the show will bring about 50 artisans and master craftspeople from all over the country. All the art and crafts are hand-made and all participants are very experienced presenters at such shows, so it is of extremely high quality.

This is the first of three shows Fay will promote this year at the Great Train Robbery. Coming up hard on its heels is the July 4 and 5 Independence Weekend show amid the excitement of the holiday parades and celebrations. More than half of the presenters in July will be artists new to the show. The final event for the year will be the Labor Day Award show on September 5 and 6.

In between, Fay is putting on a new show on July 25 and 26 at the Old Cannon Memorial Hospital Grounds—“…out front on the pavement under all those shade trees,” she said.

The artists not only sell their work at the show on June 27 and 28, they are also in competition for awards. Judging takes place during the day on Saturday and cash awards, prize ribbons and the first place trophy will be presented around 3:00 p.m.

“The Award Show usually brings in a higher caliber of work. I try to bring into my [events a] diverse showing of artists,” said Fay, herself a crafter/jeweler for nearly 16 years who has participated in shows all over the country. She has been promoting arts and crafts shows for seven years.

“I know all the work involved in going and doing a show as well as putting a show on,” she said. “The [participants] are people who do this for a living…I know how much work is involved in designing your own work, then traveling to shows, setting up, hoping the weather will be good, as well as sales.

“As a promoter I know both sides of the business,” she said. “I love this area of Banner Elk and I try to bring a great variety of artists into each show” for locals, weekend tourists and for those who have their second home here.

Artists in the June 27 and 28 show come from Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Virginia. The event will have several different kinds of pottery, wooden bowls, hand-carved bears, rocking chairs and end-tables; glass hummingbird feeders, glass blown candles and other hand-blown glass; jewelry, clothing, handbags and hand-painted scarves. There will also be woodcarving signs, photography of the mountain and inlaid flower and wooden lampshades.

Last year’s first prize winner, Sandra Price, is returning with her unique designs of gourds. Local furniture-crafter Dick Larson will be displaying for the first time his exquisite furniture in several different sizes, from small to large. Award-winning watercolorist Frederick Marshall from Booneville is also returning with a new selection of work.

Local authors will also be there selling and signing their books and Chateau Laurinda Winery will return to offer tastings of more than 20 wines from their vineyards in Sparta.

Marcille Wallis from Sarasota, Fla., will provide Celtic music.

The Great Train Robbery and Emporium will also be open on both days.

For artist information for upcoming shows or an application, call Pat Fay 828-733-0675. For directions, call The Great Train Robbery at 828-898-8645.

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