Current Events:

Come visit us this December at our last local holiday fair event for the year! 

Sat. Dec. 17th & Sun. Dec. 18th is our last weekend - we hope to see you there!

The 2011 Lithia Arts Guild Holiday Market at the ArtWing of Briscoe School, on Laurel St. (& Main St.) in Ashland, Oregon runs this year for 4 (four!) weekends during December:

First Friday, Dec. 2nd (5-8 pm), Sat. Dec. 3rd & Sun. Dec. 4th;
Sat. Dec. 10th & Sun. Dec. 11th;
Sat. Dec. 17th & Sun. Dec. 18th;
Thurs. Dec. 22nd, Fri. Dec. 23rd, & Sat. Dec. 24th  (new this year!)

All Saturdays:  10:00 AM to 6:00 PM;

All Sundays:  11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

We are participating in this event on the 2nd and 3rd weekends only.  

Look for us on the Laurel St. side of the school wing (on the right, as you come in the main Art Wing entrance), several rooms down (near the musicians' area, just before the stairs) and just inside the door. (You can't miss us...)

There are many great artisans, artists and a really wonderful variety of crafts, art, and various other original things each weekend - with some of the same artisans each weekend, while others may only have their booths on one or two our of the four total weekends. So - if you don't find what you're looking for on a given weekend, give it another try the next weekend!

This is not a large show, but has approx. 35 artist & crafter artisans, displaying work of very nice quality. Some are regular member participants in the Lithia Artisans Market of Ashland, and others are not; all are offering locally or regionally handcrafted-only items of original and uniquely created designs that you won't find in any commercial venue.

(This event is separate from the Lithia Artisans Market Christmas Fair during Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 25th, 26th & 27th, at the Historic Ashland Armory in downtown Ashland, which is an exclusive Lithia Artisan Market members event, and also a great holiday fair with many artists and lots of wonderful variety.)

• More info & photos: the Lithia Art Wing Holiday Market blog site.

• See last year's 2010 Holiday Market flyer/poster.

• Learn more about the Lithia Artisans Market.

Upcoming Events:

Nothing in 2012 is scheduled yet; stay tuned!

Previously in 2011:

November 18th & 19th, 2011: Sacred Heart Catholic School - Christmas Bazaar - Friday from 3:30 to 8:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, in the school gym (and along the school hallway, across the street) at 431 S. Ivy St., Medford.

The school's website link to the bazaar states that "The annual Sacred Heart Christmas Bazaar is the Rogue Valley's longest running craft fair, featuring over 50 vendors offering handicrafts of all kinds, including jewelry and hair accessories, quilts, afghans, scarves, woodworking items, Christmas and home decor, and so much more!" For lots of further info, see www.shcs.org/christmasbazaar.

This year's event was organized by both Shannon Jones, the outgoing SHCS Christmas Bazaar Event Chair, and by Leeann Loftin, the SHCS Development & Events Coordinator; Leeann can be reached at 541-772-4105 ext. 119, and by email at shcsbazaar@gmail.com.

This is a very well-organized event, selective in quality of products displayed, and is a very nice, if crowded, local Christmas bazaar, with students participating with the food menu (food prep & sales), and parents and other loyal followers visiting and checking out the offerings. This was our first time at this event; it is a hard one to get into! We appreciate all those who showed interest in our soaps, or just paused to chat with us, as always!

November 11th & 12th, 2011:  Holiday Market at the Expo 2011: at the Jackson County Expo Park at the Fairgrounds in Central Point (1 Peninger Rd), inside the Compton arena.  Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Sponsored by the Jackson County Expo Park, P.O. Box 3635, 1 Peninger Rd., Central Point, OR. 97502.

Contact: Event Organizer/Coordinator Lori Burk, 541-774-8270 or (541) 830-0448.  Fax: 541-776-7270.

Further general information/updates: check the JC Expo Park's site.

This is getting to be a bigger event every year! And still offers lots of amazing, high-quality art work, from fine art and photography to all kinds of artisan crafts, and a huge variety of things in between. This year's show drew good, steady crowds of visitors on both days, and was a fun, festive, and lively event.

Many thanks to all of our soap booth visitors, new and returning customers for your support of our soap efforts, and long-time and new friends, for your smiles, helloes, and good company!

September 24th, 2011:  The Montague Balloon Faire / Chili Cook Off, at the City of Montague's RailRoad Park along Main St. in downtown Montague.  There is also a parade, kid's games, and dancing. (The Balloon event itself is held very early in the morning, in a separate location about a half-mile outside of the downtown area in the Montague fairgrounds.) This is a small local event but a pleasant and fun one, with about 30 or so craft vendors.  Saturday, from 9 AM to about 3 PM.  We look forward to being there again!

At the 2010 Montague Balloon Faire craft market:

And at an earlier incarnation of the current event, the Yreka Balloon Faire in 1997 - when the Balloon Faire and the craft market were held together at the same location in Yreka, CA (along I-5, about 20 min. west of Montague) and we had the opportunity to see from our booth the pre-dawn preparations for launching the hot-air balloons, and the post-dawn result:

Beautiful, aren't they?

September 10th, 2011:  Talent Harvest Festival 2011:  Saturday, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, downtown Talent, OR (in front of City Hall and in the park).

Says Event Organizer Suzanne Heinrich, "This is our 39th annual Harvest Festival and our focus is on friendship, fun and hometown community spirit."

This event features over 70 artists' and artisans' vendor booths, local farmer's market growers, day-long live music (11 am - 4 pm) and other entertainment, popular local food vendors, historical & fun info booths, many activities for children, and numerous other side events such as a Lion's Club pancake breakfast (7 to 11 am), organized/supported runs (7 am reg./begins 8 am), and a parade (10 am).

"Attendance in past years has been 3,000-plus" and the event is becoming ever more popular. Last year's event was huge, as Talent celebrated its Centennial: "2010 was our largest attendance ever, estimated at 5,000," and a large crowd was expected again this year.

For a more detailed perspective, read Vera Westbrook's article "Live music and fun mark Talent's festival," in the Medford Mail Tribune (Tempo section, Fri. September 10th, 2010) about the 2010 Centennial event. (Up to 3 online articles can be accessed per month without subscription.)

Contact: Event Organizer (& Asst. City Recorder) Suzanne Heinrich, City of Talent, 541-535-1566 x. 1012 or email: suzanne@cityoftalent.org.  Alternative contact (as per city website): To receive more information contact Melissa Huhtala by email to melissa@cityoftalent.org or by phone (541) 535-1566.

Sponsored by the City of Talent, P.O. Box 445, (110 East Main), Talent, OR., 97540.  See the City of Talent's website for further info and updates at: cityoftalent.org  (note that this is separate from the Chamber's site) and the Talent Harvest Festival 2011 event page. (This also has photos and info from the 2010 event.) Vendor applications can also be printed from this website or picked up at City Hall in Talent.

A warm thank you to all those who stopped by our booth on Harvest Festival day!  It was indeed a hot day, but a fun event that drew a lot of interested, interesting people out to celebrate and enjoy all of the offerings, artistically, musically, and otherwise.  We're looking forward to next year's event already, and hope to see many new and familiar faces then also!

September 2nd, 3rd & 4th, 2011 (Labor Day Weekend):
The 15th Annual Jacksonville Celebrates the Arts - at the Historic Courthouse, 206 North 5th Street, Jacksonville, OR.

Friday Noon-7 pm, Sat. & Sun. 10 am to 5 pm:  "... 3 days on the green... 75 artists - Music - Art Demos - Food..."

In addition to drawing artists and crowds "from several states as well as from the Rogue and Illinois Valleys," this event is sponsored by the Jacksonville Community Center and was begun 15 years ago in order to help fundraise for the Center's planned expansion, as well as to support the Arts within the community. Volunteer organizer Jeanena WhiteWilson says, "We invite you to come to Jacksonville for the day or the entire weekend to enjoy art, music and food at Celebrate the Arts 2011..."

Read Jeanena's August, 2011, press release article in the online archives of The Jacksonville Review (Page 7); (pdf version; click on "August 2011" to download).

For more event information, an event blog, photos and articles of former Celebrates the Arts events, and Contact info, also see the Southern Oregon Artists Resource site (follow the directory to Festivals). (This page also has a link to vendor applications.)

Event Sponsor: The Jacksonville Community Center. 160 East Main Street; P.O. Box 1435, Jacksonville, OR 97530. (541) 899-3003.  For further event information, contact Jeanena at Jeanena@ charter.net or 541-899-1121.  Photo above is from the Southern Oregon Artists Resource site, Festivals page.

Thank you to all of our booth visitors during this event, and to our dedicated organizer, Jeanena, for all of her efforts to make this a great event for everyone (and for arranging for Good Bean coffee and Mustard Seed's cinnamon rolls for vendors in the morning!). And to the town of Jacksonville, for supporting artists, artisans, and a continued commitment to the arts!

(photo here is part of the River Art Walk 2011 promotional flyer - see below)

August 13th & 14th, 2011: The 7th Annual Shady Cove River Art Walk - Saturday & Sunday 10 am - 5 pm.  "A Regional Celebration of the Arts along the Banks of the Scenic Rogue River."  

Located just off Hwy 62 in Shady Cove, the Main Entrance is at the Edgewater Inn (Conference Room) and Gates 2 & 3 at the Rogue River RV Park.

Showcasing 100 Fine Artists, Original Artisans, and Performing Artists along the Art Walk Gallery, including Fine Art Paintings in all mediums, Photography, Original Crafts including Metal, Glass, Fine Gemstones Jewelry, Textiles, Garden Art, Fine Wood Craft, and more.

A wide variety of Entertainment is presented: Musicians, Bands & Dance Groups including "The Kalmiopsis Players" of Ashland, Artists "en Plein Air," Demonstrations of Art Skills, and more.

There is a Kid's ArtZone at Aunt Caroline's Park (off Hwy 62 - Indian Creek Rd.) (Sat. only).

Wine Tasting along the River by Crater Lake Cellars and lots of Catered Food is available.

There is an on-site ATM. Free Parking and Shuttle Service is provided (to/from parking, south of the Bridge, and throughout the Village of Shady Cove). Admission is Free. (Donations are accepted.)

This year's event is also in honor of Ginger Rogers, "an accomplished artist and friend of the Upper Rogue."

Attendance last year was about 4,000 (lower than usual due to extreme heat); this year's was expected to be roughly 5,000 [and by several estimations, was fairly close to that!].

This is a wonderful event in a beautiful location: "Walk along the banks of the Scenic Rogue River under the Shady Cove Bridge - Meet talented new artists, enjoy original art and prints by nationally acclaimed artists . . . get a real sense of the creative energy that makes Art Come Alive!"

• For another perspective with more details, see the Upper Rogue Independent's articles, "ArtWalk will feature 100 artists" (7/25/11), "River Artwalk hosting over 100 artists" (8/1/11), and "River ArtWalk, Aug. 13th" (8/8/11).

• See the 2011 River Art Walk Event Flyer (pdf) (also linked from the Chamber site's home page) .

(The Events Calendar on the Shady Cove - Upper Rogue Chamber's site also lists the River Art Walk.)

For further detailed information, see Event Information (also linked from the Chamber site's home page).

Sponsored by the Shady Cove - Upper Rogue Chamber / Visitors & Convention Bureau, P.O. Box 1573, Shady Cove, OR. 97539 - "Building Community through the Arts."  Contact: Alma Spicer, Volunteer Event Coordinator, at 541-878-3626 (cell: 541-821-4700).  Email: chamber@shadycoveupperrogue.org; website: www.shadycoveupperrogue.org.

Our soap booth was relocated to the far end of the upper Art Walk, directly along the Rogue River. (Relative to neighboring booths, we were indirectly across from an alpaca wool weaver and two of her alpacas, and next to a retro art & collectibles booth and a weaving monk "from a forest monastery" with gorgeous handwoven garments who also demonstrated traditional hand weaving to visitors throughout the weekend.)

Sunday was the busier day of the two, with booth visits by a number of unexpected past customers (this is, after all, up in Shady Cove, in the Upper Rogue area, away from the general Rogue valley) as well as by quite a few new ones - and even surprise visits by several old friends who dropped by! Overall, it was great to meet and talk with everyone, while enjoying the cool, refreshing ambience of the Rogue River.

This event lives up to its advertising - it's a very nice show with lots and lots of variety, wonderful quality, a very beautiful, peaceful environment along the river, and a very well-organized set-up for both crafters and artists and the public (thank you, Alma!), with plenty of good food, music, transportation to and from the event (the "Allaboard Trolley"), and other essential facilities to make the overall event easy, fun, enjoyable, and worth everyone's while. We hope to be back at this event again in the future!

July 4th, 2011:  Ashland Chamber 4th of July Celebration, in downtown Ashland, Oregon.  

This year's theme is "Volunteers: The Heart of Ashland."     The day begins with "a run, followed by a grand old parade, activities, food and entertainment in gorgeous Lithia Park," and fireworks in the evening.  

From the downtown Plaza toward the Bandshell, booths on Winburn Way include informational booths, food, and approx. 76 craft booths.

Our Colestin Caprines Goat Milk Soap booth is down at the end, closest to the Bandshell under the park's wonderful, shady trees.  Craft fair booths are all open from 10:00 AM until 5:30 PM.  

Check out the Ashland Chamber of Commerce 4th of July Celebration on the Chamber's website. There is also a map and an Event Schedule for the day.  

Thank you to our many loyal customers, and many new people, who came by the booth, visited with us, and bought soap! It was a very pleasant 4th.

 

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June 11th & 12th, 2011:  Our first event of the 2011 season was on Saturday June 11th & Sunday June 12th at the 7th Annual MidSummer's Dream -- Ashland's Premiere Art and Music Festival in downtown Ashland, Oregon.

Co-sponsored by th Lithia Artisans Market and the Briscoe ArtWing, this festival is held on the park-like grounds of the old Briscoe Elementary School, 265 N. Main, just two blocks North of downtown Ashland, OR.

This is a sizable event with approx. 75 regional artists & crafter artisans displaying work of very nice quality. Some are regular member participants in the Lithia Artisans Market of Ashland, and others are not; all are offering original work, uniquely created designs and original handcrafts that you won't find in any typical commercial venue.

The 7th Annual MidSummer's Dream Arts and Music Festival has its own website with further information, thanks to organizers Marcus Scott and Rob Joseph, where you can also get a look at the list of artists and artisan crafters who are there, some of the work that they do, and other details, links, and more, at:  http://midsummerfest.com.  And check out the festival's blog with news and updates at:  http://midsummersdreamfestival.com.