WheatonArts Festival of Fine Craft will bring artists and hands-on fun to Millville
The annual celebration, which will take place Oct. 4 and 5, will feature glass pumpkins, art demonstrations, and family-friendly activities for all to enjoy.
From April through December, arts lovers can discover folklife, glass, and pottery at the 45-acre WheatonArts in Millville in southern New Jersey. On Oct. 4 and 5, the nonprofit is hosting its annual Festival of Fine Craft.
Since 1968, WheatonArts has provided studio space to a community of artists working in a broad spectrum of media. The grounds are home to a hot glass studio, traditional craft studios, and the Museum of American Glass, a comprehensive collection celebrating what it calls “the creativity and craftsmanship of American glass.”
For 26 years, WheatonArts has hosted the Festival of Fine Craft, which brings together more than 125 artists across media such as clay, glass, furniture, fine art, and metal, and hosts family-friendly activities. Lindsay Springer, marketing manager for WheatonArts, told the New Jersey Independent that the event is unique: “Not only do you get access to interacting with these wonderful artists; you also have a lot of hands-on family art activities, of getting involved, live music, food vendors, and we also have the WheatonArts Signature Glass Pumpkin Patch fundraiser.”
The fundraiser is one of the most popular activities of the festival, Springer said. The patch is filled with glass pumpkins handcrafted by glass artists; visitors can buy the pumpkins. The money raised will support art educational programming at WheatonArts.
Admission to the campus is $14 for adults, $13 for those ages 62 and above, $8 for students, and free for kids ages 5 and under. Tickets are available online or at the gate. Those who pay to attend on Oct. 4 can request a free “Tomorrow Pass” as they leave to return again Oct. 5 at no additional cost. Admission includes the festival and all of WheatonArts’ usual offerings.
All those attending the festival will be able to participate in an array of art-making experiences, including constructing 3D pumpkins out of paper strips, making glowing paper bag luminaries, designing handprint ghosts, constructing a scarecrow, and drawing with sidewalk chalks.
“It just brings the art down to a level where anybody can participate,” Springer said. “We find that anybody of any age really does enjoy our family art activities.”
For an additional fee, guests will be able to make their own fused-glass magnets, pendants, and suncatchers.
The festival will also feature demonstrations of basket making, bead weaving, intaglio etching, jewelry making, wire weaving, and wood carving.
The festival runs from 10 a.m to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Free parking is available with shuttle rides from the New Standard Senior Living, Millville Child Family Center, Nipro Glass Americas Corporation, and Atlas Container Corporation parking lots.
For more information, visit https://www.wheatonarts.org/calendar-eventon/festival-of-fine-craft/.
