Vendors and craftsmen display their wares at the 2011 Iowa Arts and Crafts Festival. (Special to the American Press)
Craftsmen gather in Iowa for Arts and Crafts Festival
Last Modified: Friday, August 17, 2012 6:48 PM
By Cliff Seiber / American Press
IOWA — As the Iowa Arts and Crafts Festival prepares for its fourth annual edition, a look back shows attendance has steadily grown each year.
Attendance was estimated at about 100 people when it was first organized by Cornell Thomas, the Iowa branch manager of the Calcasieu Parish Library. Last year’s was about 300, according to Judy Davidson, the library system’s public information officer.
The event will be held 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at the Iowa Community Center at 209 U.S. 90.
It is an entirely free festival that will include soft drinks, snacks, a puppet show and visiting booths of professional and hobbyist arts and crafts practitioners.
The Calliope Puppet Theater of New Orleans will be on stage 10-10:45 a.m. Their show features tales of clever Louisiana trickster characters enacted with puppets. The characters include Compere Lapin (Brer Rabbit), Bouki and Chef Etouffe. In the final tale, La Poussiere (The Dust), children will be invited to become all the characters through simple costuming and fun actions, Davidson said.
Emma Hughes will demonstrate the art of basket weaving 9-11 a.m. and noon-2 p.m.
Hobo Bill and Friends Balloon Artists and pony rides by Ponies ‘R Us will be 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The Atta-Boys will provide music from noon to 1:30 p.m.
A no-sew scarf class will be presented from noon to 1:45 p.m. for those who pre-registered. To register for this class, call 337-721-7101 or for Iowa residents, 582-3597.
During show hours, artists on hand to demonstrate their work include Anna Hardesty, Bob Hubley with Ukrainaian eggs, Correze Ford, C. J. Scheufens, Ethel Precht, the Iowa Garden Club and Shreveport artist Rod Talbot, who will help festival-goers create mini-masterpieces on blank baseball cards to take home.
Sponsors in addition to the library are the Town of Iowa, Capital One Bank, Coca-Cola, Friends of the Library and Amerigroup RealSolutions for Healthcare. Door prizes will be awarded.
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