Taylorsville, NC – Vendor and Performer applications are now being accepted for the 43rd Annual Hiddenite Celebration of the Arts which will take place on Saturday, September 28th from 9 am to 4 pm at Hiddenite Church Rd in Alexander County. This FREE street festival features fine arts vendors, food vendors, living history demonstrations, a folk-life pavilion, live performances on four separate stages, an interactive children’s area, ASU Steely Pan band, Appalachian Young People’s Theatre and more! The historic Lucas Mansion serves as the nucleus of the festival with the children’s area located adjacent to the Gazebo stage. The Lucas Mansion will be open for exploration during the festival. Our $1 tour will provide guests with local history, folklore, and information about the unique geology of the area as they step back in time to the turn of the century home of James Paul Lucas, also known as “Diamond Jim!”
Director Donna Latham states, “With this year’s theme REDISCOVER, REIMAGINE, RECREATE, the Center hopes to inspire folks to REDISCOVER themselves with artistic endeavors, REDISCOVER the Lucas Mansion and the wealth of history within its walls and REDISCOVER our Arts & Heritage programs that promote well-being, enrich lives, and foster pride and self-worth in our children and grandchildren. We hope to inspire folks to REIMAGINE and RECREATE by rethinking, repurposing and reusing discards, or items found in nature to create art, upcycle, and have fun! Art doesn’t have to be expensive, just look around at what’s available and let your imagination take off! We Celebrate this theme with our featured artist Art Cozart, The Cup Guy in the art gallery during Celebration and throughout October!
This exhibit is truly something to see and encompasses our theme, REDISCOVER, REIMAGINE, RECREATE!”
Featured artist, Art Cozart was a baggage handler at the US Airways Charlotte Hub. In between flights, he began sketching his masterpieces onto his styrofoam coffee cups instead of chucking them into the trash. Normal everyday styrofoam cups became his canvas, a most unlikely; although convenient place! What began as fun, turned into over 1,000 masterpieces of famous people, friends, families, pets, and an amazing array of quirky, comical, interesting works of art.
Art has had no formal training and “…gives all of the glory to God”. Visit thecupguy.com to learn more about Art Cozart.
Visit hiddenitearts.org to view festival guidelines and to download vendor and performer applications. For more information, call 828-632-6966, or email [email protected].The Hiddenite Arts Heritage Center’s Lucas Mansion and Educational Complex are wheelchair accessible.
