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Mountaintop Art and Craft Show
Written By: Mary Jane McCall | Issue: July 2024
Back and somehow even bigger, Mountaintop Rotary’s Art and Craft Show returns to Highlands’ Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park on August 24 and 25.
Mountaintop Rotary’s Art and Craft Show returns on August 24 and 25 at the Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park on Pine Street in Highlands. Hours are from 10:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. on Saturday and 10:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. on Sunday.
This two-day event sets a new standard for art festivals with over 118 of the most respected and sought-after artisans throughout the southeast and beyond, a testament to its broad appeal.
Visitors love the show because it’s a one-stop shop for every imaginable craft or work of art in every conceivable medium. Vendors return year after year because they love the location and the people.
For one vendor it’s the joy of returning home to the mountains. Jose Green is a graduate of Highlands School and fell in love with painting as an elementary school student under the tutelage of his art teacher, Cynthia Strain. These days, this retired police officer transforms reclaimed wood into fine art paintings, often portraying wildlife or landscapes. Jose paints subjects from the mountains to the seas, paying homage to both his hometown and his many years spent in Charleston, South Carolina.
There’s also a kid’s zone with activities for children, including the Teddy Bear Hospital hosted by the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital. Here sick bears are cared for by the children with the assistance of local medical personnel. The hospital provides every child with a bear to treat and take home. There’s music too, provided by bluegrass sensations Nitrograss, who will play each afternoon from 1:00 until 4:00 P.M.
While the delightful works of art, family fun, and music are what draws the crowds, let’s not forget that this effort is Mountaintop Rotary’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Attendance and parking are free, but donations are welcomed and encouraged so they can continue to make a difference through their charitable projects.
Responding to needs both locally and globally, their donations, totaling over $35,000, have provided much-needed support to organizations like the Counseling Center of Highlands, Highlands student scholarships, and the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic among others. Internationally they supported At-Risk Afghan families who aided the US and funded medical equipment for a remote hospital in Bolivia.
For more information on the show, visit highlandsartshow.com or visit their Facebook page for the latest updates.
