Sacramento Arts Festival

From Sacramento Arts Festival Website:

The 16th Annual Sacramento Arts Festival--the best ever in quality and variety-- returns to the Sacramento Convention Center November 1, 2, 3. The festival features 225 of America's best contemporary craftspeople and fine artists offering more than 15,000 original works. The event has become not only the premier art and craft show in Sacramento, but is also developing into one of the top art festivals in the county; many of the artists who exhibit at such renowned events as the Sausalito Art Festival, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver, and the Ann Arbor Art Fairs, now also exhibit at the Sacramento American Arts Festival. The festival, unlike many other fairs, is strictly juried with exhibitors selected for the originality and quality of their work. And festival visitors have the exciting opportunity to meet and talk with these talented artists and craftspeople about how they make their unique items.

Strolling through the festival, attendees will see a vast selection of extraordinary work. For example, twenty-five ceramic artists are exhibiting their stoneware, porcelain or raku works, offering clay creations ranging from functional hand-thrown plates, cups, tea sets and vases, to whimsical sculptures and hand-made tile tables. Or consider wood. Eighteen woodworkers, each specializing in the carving, turning or laminating of a variety of domestic or exotic woods, are offering such works as candlesticks, salad bowls, jewelry boxes, tables, lamps, and chairs.

In fine art, forty two painters, working in watercolors, oils, pastels, and acrylics, are displaying traditional and modern, landscape and still life, animal and floral, portrait and abstract, whimsical and surrealistic, originals and limited-edition prints. And twelve sculptors are exhibiting works ranging from bronzes that fit on the mantle to giant welded assemblages suitable for the yard. Regarding personal adornment, forty jewelers, working with gold and silver, enamel and fabric, precious and semi-precious gemstones, are offering rings and necklaces, earrings and pendants, bracelets and brooches, constructed or cast, forged or fused, simple or elaborate.

Attendees can also shop from a wondrous selection of handmade wearables and accessories or from an extensive assortment of functional and decorative glass. In fact, every category of fine art and contemporary craft-including drawings, printmaking, photography, decorative fiber, leather, metal, stone, and two and three-dimensional mixed media-is thoroughly represented by a variety of exhibitors.

Shoppers will find spectacular works of art and craft in all price ranges for themselves, their homes, and as one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts.

In addition to all the visual art, the festival features continuous live Main Stage entertainment including the GG Amos Blues Band, the Kurt Ribak Jazz Quartet, Dirk K, jazz soloist and Scott Meltzer & Katrine Spang-Hansen, comedy jugglers. And hungry festivalers can dine on Restaurant Row from great area restaurants offering a variety of delicious edibles including Greek,Indian and American cuisine.