36th annual Tennessee Crafts Fair dates announced

The Tennessee Association of Craft Artists (TACA) announces the 36th annual Tennessee Crafts Fair, set for Friday, May 4, through Sunday, May 6, in Nashville’s Centennial Park, sponsored by Publix and Purity Dairies. The fair will run from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, with free admission and parking.

“TACA is very pleased that Centennial Park has developed a responsive plan to accommodate parking needs while protecting the integrity of the grounds,” says Andi Holbrook, TACA’s executive director. “Volunteers will direct traffic to appropriate parking areas and answer any questions. Our goal is for visitors to have a positive experience at one of Nashville’s premiere springtime events.”

Visitors of all ages, tastes and budgets can enjoy the artistic and diverse collection of fine crafts, including objects of clay, fiber, glass, metals, wood and mixed media, in addition to jewelry, fine wearables, sculpture, photography and original prints.

“The Tennessee Crafts Fair is not only an opportunity to shop and find one-of-a-kind, handmade art,” says Holbrook, “but also a meeting ground where the collector can interact with the creator and all can celebrate the work of the hand.”

Named one of the “Top 20 Events in the Southeast” by the Southeast Tourism Society and as part of “Celebrate Nashville”, this event showcases Tennessee’s most talented craft artists, as selected by a jury, offering their highest quality work to Middle Tennessee collectors. The Publix Kid’s Tent will be in full swing, offering craft projects for the children, and demonstrators will be onsite, affording observers the opportunity to see craft in motion.

New to the fair is the addition of the Service Learning Tent, housing the Empty Bowls project and the Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee information booth, where visitors can learn more about both the recent partnership between TACA and the Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee. Additionally, fair patrons are invited to create a bowl for the Empty Bowls project, which will be fired by a TACA artist, and made available to Empty Bowls projects state-wide.

Founded in 1965, the Tennessee Association of Craft Artists (TACA) is a statewide, non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging, developing and promoting crafts and craftspeople in Tennessee. Through the use of Craft Fairs, TACA works to expose the residents of Tennessee to the art of fine craft, while providing a forum for creative and personal expression for the artists. For more information, visit www.tennesseecrafts.org.