Old Fourth Ward Arts Fest
This rainy, gray Monday is making me looong for the sunny skies we enjoyed this past weekend. Especially when the sunny skies come with so much unbridled joy:
It's hard to imagine a funner, simpler Saturday than this.
The splashpad pictured above, seen in Historic Fourth Ward Park, is fast becoming a favorite among residents of Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, as well as people all over Atlanta.
Located right of the Eastside Trail of the Atlanta BeltLine, it's a fun, free way to cool off, kick up your heels... and there's a very good chance that an ice cream truck will be nearby. Always a summertime win!
We headed over to that neighborhood for a quick coffee and to peek our heads into the 2nd Annual Old Fourth Ward Arts Fest.
I always enjoy a good arts festival, but I've got to five this one five stars.
Perhaps it was something about the newness of the venue; I haven't spent much time at Old Fourth Ward Park, and so perhaps there was just fresh energy in the location.
Being so near a large pond on-site might have something to do with it as well, because things feel different when you're near a body of water. (The Dogwood Festival and Inman Park Festival for instance, held in Piedmont Park and Inman Park respectively, are among my favorite festivals, but alas they are not near bodies of water.)
The festival booths were located adjacent to the water. Anywhere you strolled, you could look down and take in this view.
Perhaps it was the live music (shown in the pic above), the smokey smells from the nearby food trucks... or maybe it was just the je no se quai of having a fun festival right smack in the middle of the city, not off in a residential area or park. I don't know. But I really enjoyed it.
Now on to the colorful stuff you want to see!
This festival attracted vendors from all over the country... but there were still a lot of local vendors, which made me happy! I like meeting local artists.
The level of talent was just amazing. Here are some of my favorite crafts from the day.
Maps of the USA made from recycled license plates from On the Road Again Art.
Gorgeous handcrafted cerulean mugs from Brenna Dee.
Hilarious tchotchkes from Those Kooky Chickens.
I loved this Pyramid Orb Planter by Oriskany Glass. (If only I could keep succulents alive...)
The pieces above and below are from the same artist, Royal Richardson Miree. Incredible one-of-a-kind copper pieces.
Beautiful sailboat crafted from old metal siding from a house. Made by Art by RL.
I'm so sad to have lost the card of the artist who made the necklace above (and the ring below), but I do remember she was local. I will look for more of her work and get back to you; her pieces were stunning. This one is made with orange peels.
I think I'll get my mother a gift from this shop, which is Earth Spirit Art and Glass, located in Decatur. She loves this kind of artwork!
Other delights of the festival included satiating my appetite (of course)...
...and fighting the urge to jump right into this thing. The shark is tempting enough, but do you see those trampolines??
WHO told me to wear a sundress? Le sigh.
Anywhoo, suffice it to say, it was a great festival. I tell you, I wanted to buy everything I saw! But alas, I'm going to be doing a bit of traveling in the next few months, so I had to be good. It was surely hard.
And apparently I wasn't the only one struggling:
Leaving this cool booth that sells handmade, artisan brooms (The Broom Brothers), I heard a kid say,"Moooom, I want a Nimbus 2000..."
Me too, kid. Me too.