Canton Festival of the Arts - May 19 and 20, 2012
New information and applications are attached! Please mark the date
for the 2012 festival!!
This annual fine arts festival will include artists, musical entertainment, exceptional food, a youth art For pictures and videos of last year's festival, please visit our Facebook Page.
Just 45 minutes from downtown Atlanta, Canton offers the charm of a historic river town with a view of the north
The Artist's Market - The popular Artist's Market will once again be the centerpiece of Canton Festival of the Arts for 2011. Held in Canton's historic Brown Park on Saturday and Sunday, May 19-20 from 10am-5pm, this annual event will offer visitors the rare opportunity to savor the works of some of the most talented artists and craftspeople from across the South and beyond. This year the Artist Market will include exhibitors whose fine art mediums include oil, watercolor, fine blown glass, elegant and whimsical jewelry, decorative and functional pottery, sculpture and hand turned wood, among others. For infomation about the Artists market please contact Pat Gold at portergolds@aol.com or 770-479-5443.
The Literary Celebration - The South is rich with literary geniuses and their stories touch not only their neighbors, but people around the world. In an effort to inspire budding authors and celebrate those who have made it to the coveted “best seller” list, a committee of booklovers has formed once again to plan the fourth annual Literary Celebration as part of the annual Canton Festival of the Arts.
The literary celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 20 in Brown Park, next to Canton City Hall, in downtown Canton, Ga. The event is free and open to the public.
Click here for the 4th Annual Literary Celebration Author Lineup
Throughout the two day event, numerous authors will share information about their books, the writing process, how they got published, about their latest book and themselves. Writers featured will include those who have reached national acclaim and those who have published books of regional interest. Guests will have the opportunity to interact with individual speakers and enjoy discussion panels covering a variety of topics. You will also have a chance to purchase books on site and have them signed by the authors themselves.
New to the Literary Celebration: Interested in taking a Workshop or Seminar? - Two great workshop/seminars have been added to the Literary Celebration this year. Terry Kay will not only be speaking under the big tent, but he will be holding a 90-minute Writers Seminar on Saturday, May 19 from 2:15 to 3:45 p.m. The cost is $50, and you must register by May 10th. Renea Winchester will be conducting a Writer's Stress-Free Marketing Workshop on Saturday, May 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The two-hour workshop costs $50. You will also receive a copy of Renea's book "Stress-Free Marketing." You must register by May 10th. Click here for the Stress-Free Marketing Workshop form Click here for the Writing Seminar form **Register early for these two great opportunities before the classes are filled! 
(Author Terry Kay speaking at the Literary Celebration last year.)
“Canton Festival of the Arts is a wonderful event bringing the best of the arts community out for a weekend of inspiration. It is fitting that those who create with the pen and pad, or the computer keyboard, should be part of the annual event and why our group of dedicated volunteers is working feverishly to confirm an outstanding list of visiting authors that will be the envy of Literary Celebrations all over,” said Farris Yawn, owner of Yawn’s Books & More, Canton’s only locally family-owned book store, and chair person of the Literary Celebration for Canton Festival of the Arts.
For more information about the celebration, call Yawn’s Books & More at (678) 880-1922 or the Cherokee County Arts Center at (770) 704-6244. Intersted in being a vendor? Click here for a literary vendor form.
Taste Tempting Food and a Wine and Beer Garden - After shopping in the Artist Market, soaking up stories from your favorite authors, planning your flower garden with our master gardeners and watching your children experiment in a new art form, you'll want some time to relax. Try out any one of the carefully chosen food offerings and maybe a glass of wine or a beer. You can even listen to some very talented local performing artists while you take a moment or two to rest before you shop some more. If you are interested in being a food vendor, please click on here to print an application.
Serenity Gardens - Once again this year, Canton Festival of the Arts will feature a “Serenity Garden” area. Four years ago Serenity Gardens was envisioned as an area to expand the sensory experience of the Festival. The Garden has developed into a learning opportunity for the whole family. It encompasses the art of gardening, canning, environmental protection (being green) and healthy living.
The Cherokee Arts Council, with the generous donations from: Buck Jones Nursery, Lady Slipper Nursery, Autumn Hill Nursery, Clouds Supply, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowes, and author Pamela Crawford, will have their annual plant sale. The proceeds continue to promote the Arts in Cherokee County with their many events including Camp Imagine for the children. B. J. Weeks, renowned local bee keeper from Ball Ground, GA, will have his bee hives on display. See bees up close, smell the honey as it is collected from the hives; hear how bees are used in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis and Arthritis
One of the nation’s largest Orchid growers is located right here in Cherokee County, who knew? Peach State Growers grow over 2000 orchids in their 1500 square foot facility and will be displaying for sale a large variety of magnificent orchids. Orchids are a universally eye catching experience. Bring your orchid plants and learn, hands on, how to repot and care for them. Peach States Orchids says: Our goal is to delight you with our wide variety of plants and to assist you in your growing needs.
Merrilily Gardens, a perennial favorite at The Festival, and also a Cherokee County business, will exhibit for sale her locally grown hybrid day lilies, hostas, phlox, astibe and ferns along with her incomparable homemade Jams, jellies and salsas to titillate the taste buds. New this year is her green, pickled, cocktail tomatoes and hot, crunchy pickled okra.
American Pillar Nursery from Woodstock will present their patented Arborvitae. This exciting new plant is ideal for landscape screening. It grows in both sun and shade and its nature is to quickly grow tall and very narrow making it ideal for pools or screening yard.
The Cherokee Extension office of the University of Georgia will be represented by their “master gardeners” group. They will be giving expert advice on herb gardening, roses, deer resistant plants, native plants and water conservation in gardening. Bring plant leaves for problem diagnostics.
Renowned gardener Pamela Crawford will be on hand to talk about her new book, “Easy Gardening”. Bring pictures of your problem areas and Pamela will personally advise and design solutions for you. Cloud's Supply is a family operated farm and landscape supply company in Canton. They not only will have available a complete line of Purina feeds, including wild bird seed, but also mulches, ground covers, fertilizers, and landscaping Vers-Loc block retaining wall systems.
Clear Conscience Natural Market supports Georgia Organics and will have a variety of local fruits and veggies. They will present a variety of healthy food alternatives, wheat-free and gluten-free foods, organic and fair-trade coffees, bulk herbs and all-natural pet edible. Their foods contain no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners or hydrogenated oils (trans-fat). In addition during the day they will be giving simple yoga demonstrations.
Schedules will be available the days of the festival for the various activities and presentation, so if it you are interested in painted plant containers, custom created marble coasters, handmade soaps, candles and scrubs, wind chimes, organic plants and foods, gardening supplies, gardening problems, or green and healthy living - Serenity Gardens is the spot for you at the Canton Festival of Arts!
If you are interested in becoming a vendor, please see our vendor application. Whether a vendor or guest, we look forward to seeing you! Entertainment - The Cherokee Arts Center has begun a new tradition on the second Thursday of each month. Open Mic Night was the brain child of one of our board members and has been a great addition to entertainment in Canton. Each month, the audiance votes for the "best of Open Mic Night". These performers will be on the plaza stage at Canton Festival of the Arts! Come support your local talent!
The Children's Experience... Hands on Art Activities for Children - Various activities, including the opportunity to paint a mural, take a picture, learn a little hip hop, try some inprov acting, and more will be available to children of all ages. Our new Children's Experience will allow children of all ages to truly taste the wonderment of creating art.
All funds raised at the festival benefit the Cherokee County Arts Center. The Arts Center goal is to enrich the lives of area residents by promoting, developing, and coordinating excellence in the arts. Funding from the festival allows the Arts Center to host a wide variety of arts programming including classes and youth art camps. Email:festival@CherokeeArts.org
Directions: From I-575, take Exit 19 to downtown Canton. The Arts Center is just north of the town square |
