The Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival Celebrates 65 Years
FAIRHOPE, Ala. – The 65th Annual Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival is set for March 17, 18 & 19. Festival hours are Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival is free to the public.
The flower-lined streets of charming downtown Fairhope will be transformed into an outdoor art gallery. More than 230 exhibitors will be in place with everything from fine art paintings to one-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry and pottery that’s almost too beautiful to use. Click here to see the full list of artists planning to exhibit at this year's show.
The Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival is one of the oldest art festivals in the country with a tradition that dates back to 1953. In those early years, it was known as the Arts and Crafts Tour. Craftsmen set up displays in shop windows and offered demonstrations. It was created to showcase local talent and the event coincided with the Azalea Trail and Mardi Gras celebration in Mobile. Click here to read more about the history of the festival.
It has grown into a nationally recognized festival, consistently ranking in the top 50 in the U.S. by Sunshine Artists Magazine. The Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival now attracts artists and visitors from across the country.
The Coldwell Banker Reehl Properties Kid’s Art section will be back this year with rotating activities throughout the weekend such as building birdhouses and painting with well-known local artist Ricky Trione.
The Coastal Alabama Community College Entertainment Stage is moving back to its traditional home in the Regions Bank parking lot. Musical acts will keep festivalgoers entertained all three days. The Dogwood Trail Court will debut their 2017 Trail Maids on Saturday at 12 p.m.
The Pepsi Food Court will feature many of your festival favorites including hand-squeezed lemonade, kettle corn, treats from Punta Clara Kitchen and Frios Popsicles. New this year, Apison Creek Coffee Roasters and Sugar Kettle Cafe are both sure to draw a crowd. Click here to see the full list of food vendors.
Fairhope’s downtown is also home to an array of local shops and enticing restaurants. Visitors are also drawn to the scenic sunsets over Mobile Bay, viewable from a number of different pedestrian-friendly trails and piers. Enjoy a full weekend, and savor the treasures the Eastern Shore has to offer.
Parking will be limited in downtown Fairhope, so festival organizers recommend taking advantage of the shuttle service available from BRATS (Baldwin Rural Area Transportation System). Stops will be made at the Plantation Pointe Shopping Center (Piggly Wiggly), Eastern Shore Village Center (Big Lots) and the Fairhope Recreation Center (803 Greeno Rd.).
Parking is free at these locations. Shuttle passes are $2 per person for a one-way trip and $5 per person per day for an all-day pass. The shuttle service will run from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18 and from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 19. Free bike valet parking will be provided behind the Fairhope Museum of History. Handicapped parking is available behind Julwin’s Restaurant.
The 65th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival Foundation and Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the 2017 festival sponsors who make this event possible: Wind Creek, Pepsi, Coastal Alabama Community College, Thomas Hospital-Infirmary Health, Riviera Utilities, Merchants and Marine Bank, Coldwell Banker Reehl Properties, Carell Corporation, Trustmark Bank, Bay Mortgage, Grand Hotel, Chick-Fil-A, Regions Bank, Alabama Public Radio, Gulf Coast News, Alabama Media Group, WKRG, WPMI/UTV44, and WABD.
For more information go to: www.facebook.com/artsandcraftsfairhope or www.fairhopeartsandcraftsfestival.com
Contact Information:
Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce
327 Fairhope Avenue, Fairhope, AL
(251) 928-6387
Credits:
Denise Curtis, Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce