Bella Vista Celebrates 51TU Annual Arts and Crafts Festival

Handmade items take center stage at the Bella Vista Arts & Crafts festival. Taking place during the 3rd weekend in October, the juried festival has grown to nearly 250 artisans at the large, convenient festival site on Arkansas Highway 279 in Bella Vista, just south of the intersection with Arkansas Hwy 340. According to news reports and customer and exhibitor comments, the festival is now the premier arts and crafts show in Northwest Arkansas.

“We’re the only juried festivals in the area requiring that 100% items on sale be handmade by the artisan,” said Elaine Reinke, President of the Village Art Club.

Exhibitors and food vendors have come to expect the friendly and organized atmosphere that the festival provides. The 200+ festival volunteers go out of their way to make the vendors and thousands of visitors comfortable and happy. The Club and community volunteers are the key to this very successful fundraising event for the Village Art Club.

“We have so many volunteers from churches, organizations, police and fire departments, schools all working hard before, during and after the festival,” Rienke added “this is a real community effort!” The festival features free parking and shuttles to the event. It also offers large item pick-up service, where your large item can be shuttled to a tent by the parking lot for the convenience of customers.

The Village Art Club of Bella Vista is a non-profit organization which began in 1966, and has grown and progressed through the years since. The Club exists to further art appreciation and education not only within the Club itself, but also in the community as a whole. The Club is comprised of members from the area and surrounding region, as well as several neighboring states. Membership is open to those who appreciate the visual arts and wish to support and promote art and artisans in the Northwest Arkansas area, whether they are painters, sculptors, potters, woodworkers, carvers, crafters, or simply admirers of fine art and crafts. All are welcome!! The 51th Annual Bella Vista Arts and Crafts Festival will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., October 17-19, at 1991 Forest Hills Blvd., Bella Vista, AR