The Front Street Arts & Crafts Festival, an annual tradition in Dillsboro, takes place Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Artists, makers, musicians and food vendors gather along the town’s historic Front Street for family- and dog-friendly fun and festivities that celebrate Dillsboro as a destination for visitors to the Western North Carolina mountains. The event is sponsored by the Dillsboro Merchants Association. Organizers moved the event, traditionally held in July, to June in hopes that the weather will be more favorable.
The festival is an opportunity for more than 40 local mountain artists and crafters to offer their handmade goods and to interact with visitors. “In addition to the vendors on Front Street, there will be a Dillsboro Creative Arts Center (formerly Jackson County Green Energy Park) Makers Market on the east end of town,” says Whitney Kreiling, communications director for the Dillsboro Merchants Association and co-owner of downtown business The Fox’s Burrow. “Their art (glassblowing and metalworking are examples) is based on energy produced using recaptured methane gas produced by a former county landfill.”
Artist Corey Plott
Jeff Marley, a painter whose work is inspired by regional locations and scenes, will participate as a vendor for the first time this year. “The Front Street Arts and Crafts Festival has long been known to feature great artists and work from around the region,” he says. “I’m honored to be able to participate with other artists of such caliber.”
Marley offers his expressive, post-impressionistic work in a range of sizes and products including oil and acrylic paintings, hand-drawn notecards, tiny 2” x 1.5” paintings and hand-pulled block prints.
Fiber artist Susie Robson participated in last year’s festival, but this year she will bring a new medium to the event. “I’ve only been doing needle felting for three years,” she says. The craft entails “using a specialized bar needle to repeatedly poke and tangle wool fibers together until they become a firm sculpted mass.” Her creations include animals and holiday items.
She enjoys festivals like this one for the exposure it brings both for the artists and the town. “It anchors the community, providing a platform for local identity that often gets drowned out in larger cities,” she says of Dillsboro’s festival. “It also offers a personal connection and direct feedback that help refine your craft and build your local following.”
Dogwood Crafters will be one of the downtown businesses open during the event, and several of its member artists will have booths as well. “This is the 50th anniversary of the Dogwood Crafters Craft Co-op,” says Kreiling. “Established in 1976, it is the cornerstone of local arts and crafts in Dillsboro.”
Another landmark in the town, Jarrett House, plans to open its doors in time for the festival after five years of renovation. The historic hotel plans to feature a restaurant, bar, event venue and Gallery 1884, showcasing work by local makers.
“Timeless charm is the hallmark of Dillsboro,” says Kreiling. “People can always expect a warm welcome reminiscent of days gone by. While we continue to offer new shopping and dining experiences, we maintain our historic presence evidenced by hearty greetings and traditional surroundings.”
The festival offers free admission, parking and shuttle service. Learn more at DillsboroNC.org.
