Festival features handcrafted items

By Janice M. Howard / Style Editor for the Southern Standard

Exhibitor Jerry Waltz introduces ‘Critter’ to customer Logan Kinsey, 9-1/2-year-old son of Patty and Perry Kinsey. (Janice M. Howard photo)

Throngs of festival-goers maneuvered the winding highway leading up the mountain to the National Historic District of Beersheba Springs to attend the 35th annual arts and crafts festival on the grounds of the Old Historic Hotel.

Some 250 arts and crafts exhibitors from several states were on hand Aug. 24 and 25 to sell their unique handcrafted items as the event got under way in the late summer heat. The festival was open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Among the exhibitors performing demonstrations of their specific crafts were portrait sketch artists Joe Vick of Lyles and Darlene Shadden of Nashville; basket weavers Jim and Nancy Phillips of Jacksboro; woodcarvers David and Judy Coker of Lexington, Ala.; and potter Phil Mayhew of Beersheba Springs. Paul Zimmer created musical notes with Native American flutes he had made and Eric Vick entertained the browsing crowd with his banjo playing.

The hotel dining room served hot meals each day while food booths at the site provided sandwiches and soft drinks for the hungry masses. Hand-dipped ice cream was also available as a refreshing treat.

For the convenience of attendees, a school bus driven by Freda Burnett provided transportation to the festival site and back to designated parking areas.

Proceeds from the festival will be donated to the Beersheba Springs Library, Beersheba Springs Rescue Squad, Beersheba Springs Community Center, Grundy County Center for Exceptional Citizens, North Elementary School and some of the money will be used for food baskets.

The town of Beersheba Springs is located on U.S. Highway 56, approximately 18 miles from McMinnville.