AUGUST 6, 2009 ISSUE
Art on the Riverwalk
Riverwalk Arts Festival in Newland August 15
Stroll along the winding path of Newland’s Riverwalk Park on Saturday, August 15, to find arts and crafts from about 60 vendors—at booths positioned neatly between trees and lampposts. The annual Riverwalk Arts Festival takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is presented by the Avery Arts Council.
The festival has been held for more than 30 years and will feature several returning artists, said LouAnn Morehouse, executive director of the Arts Council. Admission to the festival is free.
“It’s a real nice day,” Morehouse said. “The level of the items are always really diverse and of high quality. We have everything from rustic stuff to highly finished work.”
Handmade arts and crafts available for sale include pottery, jewelry, wooden utensils, original paintings, limited edition prints, handmade journals, candles, soaps, birdhouses, flutes and more. A jury committee selects all of the vendors. The festival will also feature nonprofit informational booths, an Avery Arts Council booth, food vendors and a children’s activity corner.
The festival is opening one hour earlier this year to accommodate early shoppers, Morehouse said.
“We had lots of early people last time,” she said.
The creative talent on display at the Riverwalk comes from various points around the Southeast, with the majority from North Carolina and Tennessee.
Returning vendors include potter Keith Martindale from Seagrove—a North Carolina town famous for its pottery. Other returning artists include Alice Chiampi, a jewelry maker from Newland with a dedicated following; Ronald Moore, a pencil and pastel drawing artist; and Donna Gargano, a paper artist who creates handmade books, journals and notepads.
Functional items, like this wooden sink, are among the many arts and crafts for sale at the Riverwalk Arts Festival in Newland.
New to the Riverwalk Arts Festival is Michael Evans of Morganton, welding artist. Don Bagwell from Fleetwood joins the festival this year with handcast concrete sculptures made from original molds. Another first-timer is Jennifer Black from Newland, who creates baskets made from vines.
“We have a good mix of some interesting new stuff,” Morehouse said.
Food vendors will offer treats such as hotdogs, lemonade, chicken wings, potato salad and more. The children’s tent will provide kids with an opportunity to participate in a green art project by using recycled materials to create unique crafts. A face painting artist will also be present.
Representatives from the Genesis Wildlife Sanctuary will be on hand to educate folks about their mission and allow them to meet some of the animals that they have helped to rehabilitate. Bagpiper Rebecca Witt from Lees-McRae College will perform, and other entertainment is likely to include bluegrass fiddling and dancing. Visitors can also enjoy Riverwalk Park and wade in the Toe River.
Plenty of parking is available at Riverwalk Park—simply park in the lot adjacent to the Lowes grocery store and stroll on over. For more information, contact the Avery Arts Council office at 828-898-4292 or click to www.averycountyartscouncil.org.
Want To Go?
Date: Saturday, August 15
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Riverwalk Park, Newland
Cost: Free admission
For Love of the Arts—The Avery Arts Council
The Avery Arts Council was founded in May 1977 by a group of educators to provide funding and support to arts and cultural programs. The Avery Arts Council is recognized by the state of North Carolina as the designated county partner responsible for administering funds awarded by the state arts council. For more than 30 years, the Council has helped provide arts enrichment programs to county schools and has presented events such as the Riverwalk Arts Festival to locals and visitors.
Funding for the Council is provided by membership contributions from individuals and businesses, income from council-sponsored events and fundraisers, and from grants, including the North Carolina Arts Council’s Grassroots Grant Program.
Other Avery Arts Council programs and events include the Avery Quilt Trail, the Traditional Artist Database, the Mountain Palette Arts Gala in July, the Cheese House Gallery, the T. Alan Dickson Gallery at Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville and the Holiday Heritage Concert.
The Avery Arts Council office is housed in the historic Cheese House building on Highway 184 in Banner Elk. For more information, contact the Avery Arts Council office at 828-898-4292 or click to www.averycountyartscouncil.org.
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
