Finster Fest expecting 50 artists
The annual Finster Fest starts Saturday at Summerville’s Paradise Garden, and will feature over 50 artists, some of them nationally recognized.
The festival is a way of honoring Summerville’s late folk artist Howard Finster, who died in 2001.
Paradise Garden, which is at 200 N. Lewis St., was i nit i al l y s t arted by Finster with recycled materials in 1961. This year marks the second year the festival has returned to its original 1991 location after years of being held at Summerville’s Dowdy Park.
On Saturday, the festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p. m., and on May 28, it runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. All tickets are $5 and proceeds directly fund the restoration and operation of Paradise Garden and the Howard Finster Paradise Garden Foundation. There will be a free shuttle from WalMart, 13427 U.S. 27, Trion, during the festival.
Finster produced nearly 47,000 pieces of art at an age when many typically ease into retire- ment. His work has been featured in numerous museums including the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, and on album covers for R.E.M. and Talking Heads.
A record 1,700 festivalgoers showed up for last year’s event, and organizers hope to surpass that number this year.
Some of the nationallyrecognized artists at this year’s festival include Missionary Mary Proctor, Peter Loose, Deb “Miz Thang” Garner, Jim Shores, and C. M and Grace Laster. Finster Fest has a long tradition of introducing top-flight folk artists, and newcom- ers this year will include Georgia painted metal cutout artist Tex S. Crawford along with folk potter Michael Ball and painter Charlie Frye, both from North Carolina.
A collection of bands will play during the twoday event, and there will be food vendors on hand. Some of the food vendors include Mosley’s BBQ, the Chattooga Garden Club, Moonshadow Concession and T&T Sweet Treats.
There will also be an area for kids to make art.
For more information call 706-808-0800 or email the proprietors of Paradise Garden at info@paradisegardenfoundtion. org.