Craft Fair Postmortem: Augusta Art in the Garden

This past Saturday dawned bright, clear, and mild: perfect for the Augusta Art Guild’s 10th Annual Art in the Garden. My husband and I woke early, packed the car, and made the hour-long drive from Cincinnati to the enchanted little river town of Augusta, KY.

I’m a recent addition to the Augusta Art Guild, and I was looking forward to taking part in my first guild event. I couldn’t have been more excited about meeting my fellow guild members and spending the day by the banks of the Ohio River, and the day met my expectations. Art in the Garden was certainly the best organized fair I have so far attended. Booth sitters were freely available on an as-needed basis, and the Guild even hired local high school boys to assist artists during the unloading and setup process.

Signs about the event were up all over town, and no one in Augusta could claim ignorance. I also heard lots of radio ads on Cincinnati radio the weeks prior to Art in the Garden, so pre-event marketing was done well. Even though the fair conflicted with Cincinnati’s long-running Summerfair art festival, the crowd at Art in the Garden was plentiful and friendly, and the setting couldn’t have been more picturesque. The weather even cooperated – it wasn’t too terribly hot, and there wasn’t a drop of rain in sight.

Composer Phil Koplow, who first introduced my husband and me to Augusta just over a year ago, was out early, visiting booths and greeting all the artists. It was great to see him and his wife, in addition to all our Augusta friends. I had a great time meeting Lori of River’s Edge Jewelry and listening to the fascinating wine information at the booth for the Baker Bird Winery. All in all, it was a fun and enjoyable day.

Thanks to all who came out to support me and the Augusta Art Guild. If you weren’t able to make it, perhaps I’ll see you this weekend at the Granville Art Affair just east of Columbus!