Artists and craftspeople from all over Essex County as well as other parts of New Jersey and the East Coast, will be showing and selling their crafts and art work at the 37th Annual Glen Ridge Arts Festival on Saturday, May 9th on Ridgewood Avenue in Glen Ridge. Each year participating artists and crafts people display their work at this show, which is put on by the Glen Ridge Art Patrons Association to raise money for community art programs and to provide scholarships for students going on to study Fine Art at the college level. Again this year, the Festival will be held in conjunction with the Glen Ridge Eco-Fair. Many area musicians will also be performing during the combined events.
Daidra Carsman will be showing her jewelry made with silver, pearls and gemstones and Montclair artist Hilary Shank-Kuhl will be showing her jewelry made with found objects, vintage and antique glass, as well as sterling silver. Also this year, jeweler Zachary Bloom of Montclair will also be participating.
In addition to the work of these artists, many other crafts people will be presenting hand painted scarves, tapestry bags, pottery and turned wood. For the home, painted furniture, frames, pillows, woodwork, candles and quilts will be available. Fine artists will present paintings, sculpture, photographs and mixed-media work.
At the festival and fair there will be many children’s activities. There will be a moonwalk, face painting, sand art and, as well, art activities with artist Suzanne O’Conner. Home Depot will return with hands on building projects for kids and other groups will present craft activities. Vendors will attend with children’s items including marionettes, magic wands, doll clothes and rocks and mineral specimens.
Show hours are Saturday, May 9th, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., rain or shine. The Arts Festival will be held on Ridgewood Avenue, one block off Bloomfield Ave., in Glen Ridge. Admission is free. For information and directions email Geni Finlay at glenridgearts@comcast.net or Hilary Shank-Kuhl at kuhl.designs@att.net .
