This annual fine arts festival will include artists, musical entertainment, exceptional food, a youth art
exhibit and a hands-on area for children.

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
Georgia mountains. The new festival location is in Canton’s newly revitalized historic downtown district.  

The Artist's Market - 

The popular Artist's Market will once again be the centerpiece of the Canton Festival of the Arts for 2010.

Held in Canton's historic Brown Park on Saturday and Sunday, May 15th-16th from 10am-5pm, the 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.  The Artist Market typically attracts artisans 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.

The Literature Festival - 

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 second annual Literary

Celebration as part of the annual Canton Festival of the Arts.

The celebration will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 15^th, and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, May 16^th

in Brown Park next to Canton City Hall in downtown Canton, Ga.   The event is free and open to the public.

Throughout the two day event 20-30 Southern 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 to those who have published books of regional interest. Guests

will have the opportunity to interact with individual speakers and 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.

“The 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.  Click here for a literary vendor form.   

Local Restaurant to Feature Beer Garden - 

Zack Kell, local restaurateur and owner of local favorites the Downtown Kitchen and Goin' Coastal, has

again signed on the host the Beer Garden.  A fantastic selection will be available, featuring select 

micro-brews.    

Serenity Gardens - 

Once again this year the Cherokee Arts Festival will feature a “Serenity Garden” area.  Four years ago

Judy Bishop envisioned The Serenity Garden as an area to expand the sensory experience of the Festival. 

The Garden is a fascination 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 - 

All day entertainment will feature local bluegrass bands, ballet performances, and much more.  

Please check back as we begin confirming various performers.  

Camp Imagine...  Hands on Art Activities for Children - 

The Cherokee Arts Center will be recreating some of the Camp Imagine magic for the Arts Festival.  

Various activities, featured in the Center's Camp Imagine, will be available to children of all ages.  

This popular activity allows children to experience 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

Artist Application

Directions: From I-575, take Exit 19 to downtown Canton. The Arts Center is just north of the town square
and adjacent to the Cherokee County Court House. Parking is available in the lot just in front
of the building. Follow the signs to Brown's Park