For pictures and videos of last year's festival, please visit the Canton Festival of the Arts Facebook Page.  

Just 45 minutes from downtown Atlanta, Canton offers the charm of a historic river town with a view of the north
Georgia mountains. The festival is located in Canton’s newly revitalized historic downtown district.   

The Artist's Market 

The popular Artist's Market will once again be the centerpiece of Canton Festival of the Arts for 2013.

Held in Canton's historic Brown Park on Saturday and Sunday, May 18-19 from 10am-5pm, this annual

event will offer visitors the rare opportunity to savor the works of some of the most talented artists and

craftspeople from across the South and beyond.  This year the Artist Market will include exhibitors whose fine art mediums

include oil, watercolor, fine blown glass, elegant and whimsical jewelry, decorative and functional pottery,

sculpture and hand turned wood, among others. 

Artist Application

Serenity Gardens

Once again this year, Canton Festival of the Arts will feature a “Serenity Garden” area.  Four years ago

Serenity Gardens was envisioned as an area to expand the sensory experience of the Festival. 

The Garden has developed into a learning opportunity for the whole family. It encompasses the art of gardening,

canning, environmental protection (being green) and healthy living.

The Cherokee Arts Council, with the generous donations from:  Buck Jones Nursery, Lady Slipper Nursery,

Autumn Hill Nursery, Clouds Supply, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowes, and author Pamela Crawford, will have

their annual plant sale. The proceeds continue to promote the Arts in Cherokee County with their many events

including Camp Imagine for the children.

B. J. Weeks, renowned local bee keeper from Ball Ground, GA, will have his bee hives on display.  See bees

up close, smell the honey as it is collected from the hives; hear how bees are used in the treatment of Multiple

Sclerosis and Arthritis

One of the nation’s largest Orchid growers is located right here in Cherokee County, who knew? Peach State

Growers grow over 2000 orchids in their 1500 square foot facility and will be displaying for sale a large variety

of magnificent orchids. Orchids are a universally eye catching experience.  Bring your orchid plants and learn,

hands on, how to repot and care for them.  Peach States Orchids says: Our goal is to delight you with our wide

variety of plants and to assist you in your growing needs.

Merrilily Gardens, a perennial favorite at The Festival, and also a Cherokee County business, will exhibit for sale

her locally grown hybrid day lilies, hostas, phlox, astibe and ferns along with her incomparable homemade Jams,

jellies and salsas to titillate the taste buds.  New this year is her green, pickled, cocktail tomatoes and hot,

crunchy pickled okra.

American Pillar Nursery from Woodstock will present their patented Arborvitae.  This exciting new plant is ideal

for landscape screening. It grows in both sun and shade and its nature is to quickly grow tall and very narrow

making it ideal for pools or screening yard.

The Cherokee Extension office of the University of Georgia will be represented by their “master gardeners”

group. They will be giving expert advice on herb gardening, roses, deer resistant plants, native plants and

water conservation in gardening.  Bring plant leaves for problem diagnostics.

Renowned gardener Pamela Crawford will be on hand to talk about her new book, “Easy Gardening”.  Bring

pictures of your problem areas and Pamela will personally advise and design solutions for you.

Cloud's Supply is a family operated farm and landscape supply company in Canton.  They not only will have

available a complete line of Purina feeds, including wild bird seed, but also mulches, ground covers, fertilizers,

and landscaping Vers-Loc block retaining wall systems. 

Clear Conscience Natural Market supports Georgia Organics and will have a variety of local fruits and veggies. 

They will present a variety of healthy food alternatives, wheat-free and gluten-free foods, organic and fair-trade

coffees, bulk herbs and all-natural pet edible. Their foods contain no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial

sweeteners or hydrogenated oils (trans-fat).  In addition during the day they will be giving simple yoga

demonstrations.

Schedules will be available the days of the festival for the various activities and presentation, so if it you are

interested in painted plant containers, custom created marble coasters, handmade soaps, candles and scrubs,

wind chimes, organic plants and foods,  gardening supplies, gardening problems, or green and healthy living -

Serenity Gardens is the spot for you at the Canton Festival of Arts!  

If you are interested in becoming a vendor, please see our vendor application.  Whether a vendor or guest,

we look forward to seeing you!   

The Literary Celebration 

The South is rich with literary geniuses and their stories touch not only their neighbors, but people around

the world. In an effort to inspire budding authors and celebrate those who have made it to the coveted

“best seller” list, a committee of booklovers has formed once again to plan the fourth annual Literary

Celebration as part of the annual Canton Festival of the Arts.

The literary celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on

Sunday, May 19 in Brown Park, next to Canton City Hall, in downtown Canton, Ga.   The event is free and

open to the public. 

Saturday ~ May 18th  

11:00  ~ TLC Drama Troupe, directed by Tisha Gotte (Main Stage)

12:30  ~  "Capturing the Spirit: Magic and Mysticism in Southern Fiction" 

A Conversation with Ann Hite and Kimberly Brock (Literary Celebration Tent) 

*Ann Hite was the recipient of the 2012 Georgia Author of the Year Award for her debut novel, Ghost on Black Mountain. She was also a finalist for the 2012 Townsend Prize for Fiction. 

*Kimberly Brock's novel The River Witch was a She Reads’ selection and was included in the Huffington Post’s "Summer’s Sizzling Southern Fiction" list. Kimberly is a Georgia Author of the Year 2013 nominee. 

2:00  ~ "Crime and Punishment: Crafting Modern Noir Fiction"

 A Conversation with Grant Jerkins and Peter Farris (Literary Celebration Tent)

* Grant Jerkins has published three widely diverse novels including The Ninth Step, At the End of the Road. Academy Award nominated director Barbet Schroeder is attached to direct the film adaptation of his debut novel, A Very Simple Crime.  According to The Washington Post," You have to admire the purity of Jerkins's writing: He's determined to peer into the darkness and tell us exactly what he sees." 

*Peter Farris is a graduate of Yale University. His novel, Last Call for the Living, was one of Bouchercon's most exciting debuts and found a place on numerous "Best of 2012" lists. 

3:30 ~ Carapace Atlanta Storyellers (Main Stage) 

*Featured on CNN and in Creative Loafing, Carapace is an oral storytelling group where people share true personal stories in front of a live audience. 

Sunday ~ May 19th  

1:00 ~    "There's Soul in them Hills: The Importance of Setting" 

A Conversation with Raymond L. Atkins and Janie Dempsey Watts (Literary Celebration Tent)

* Raymond L. Atkins is the author of three novels. His debut, The Front Porch Prophet was awarded the Georgia Author of the  Year Award for First Novel. His second novel. Sorrow Wood, was released in 2009 and his third novel, Camp Redemption, received the Ferrol Sams Award for Fiction and was published by Mercer University Press in March 2013. 

*Janie Dempsey Watts is the debut novelist of Moon over Taylor's Ridge which has been nominated for both the 2013 Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Book Award and the 2013 Georgia Author of the Year for First Novel. 

2:15 ~ Yawn's Publishing Children's Authors (Literary Celebration Tent) 

  "Creating Worlds of Wonder" 

*Yawn's Publishing  of Canton, GA is excited to share the work of Angela and Chuck Wilson (Santa's Magic Toy Bag), Laura  Fritz (Poodle on a Noodle - Casey the Poodle will be in attendance), Sulaine Sims (Talking to the Animals: An Anthology of  Short Poems  - written and illustrated by Creative and Performing Arts Academy Summer Camp Students of Jasper, GA.), and Debbie Byrd (Lily & Grace: Friends to the Rescue)

3:15 ~ Shannon McNeal, Southern Humorist and Storyteller (Main Stage) 

*Shannon McNeal grew up listening to her grandfather telling tales about their family. She inherited his talent for spinning tragedy into comedy and loves to share her stories about growing up in Alabama and her adventures after moving to Atlanta. She has been a featured performer at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, Tellabration! (produced by the Southern  Order of Storytellers) and Stories on the Edge of Night at Manuel's Tavern. Shannon is also the host of "Stories on the Square," a monthly storytelling event hosted by Eddie's Attic in downtown Decatur. If you love southern porch stories, you will love Shannon  McNeal.  

 (Author Terry Kay speaking at the Literary Celebration last year.)

“Canton Festival of the Arts is a wonderful event bringing the best of the arts community out for a

weekend of inspiration. It is fitting that those who create with the pen and pad, or the computer keyboard,

should be part of the annual event and why our group of dedicated volunteers is working feverishly to

confirm an outstanding list of visiting authors that will be the envy of Literary Celebrations all over,” said

Farris Yawn, owner Canton, GA-based Yawn's Publishing and co-chair

person of the Literary Celebration for Canton Festival of the Arts.

For more information about the celebration, email Co-Chair Carmen Slaughter at carments@comcast.net or call the Cherokee County Arts Center at (770) 704-6244.  Intersted in being a vendor?

Click here for a literary vendor form.   

Tempting Food & Wine and Beer Garden 

After shopping in the Artist Market, soaking up stories from your favorite authors, planning your flower garden with our master gardeners and watching your children experiment in a new art form, you'll want some time to relax. Try out any one of the carefully chosen food offerings and maybe a glass of wine or a beer. You can even listen to some very talented local performing artists while you take a moment or two to rest before you shop some more.

If you are interested in being a food vendor, please click here to print a food vendor application.      

Entertainment

The Main Stage will feature bands and other entertainment. After a long day of wandering, shopping, learning and playing, sit down and enjoy a show!

Festivalgoers are invited to attend a concert Saturday night at the Cherokee Arts Center.The event will feature
"Bush Hawg" a Nashville-based country music act that is receiving enormous reception across the country. Their single is scheduled for release this summer so this is a rare opportunity for our city to see this act in an intimate concert hall before they set out on national tour dates.

More About Bush Hawg

A few days ago they were featured in Las Vegas for the American Country Music Awards and on March 26, 2013 they appeared on the Country Music Hall of Fame stage in Nashville, TN  for the Key New Artist Launch show for I-Heart Radio and Clear Channel Inc.

In March, they were named by Rolling Stones Magazine the newcomer band to watch and were also just featured as the new artist on over 400, 000 bottles of  Evan Williams . RCA records have declared this is the break-out year of the Hawg.

You can purchase tickets to the Bush Hawg concert at the Painted Pig Tavern or purchase online at Showclix. Don’t miss out on this exciting musical event! Find a sampling of Bush Hawg and their music here.

The Children's Experience... Hands on Art Activities for Children 

Various activities, including the opportunity to paint a mural, take a picture, learn a little hip hop, try some inprov acting, and more will be available to children of all ages. Our new Children's Experience will allow children of all ages to truly taste the wonderment of creating art.   

Click here for a Children's Experience Vendor Application.

All funds raised at the festival benefit the Cherokee County Arts Center.

The Arts Center goal is to enrich the lives of area residents by promoting, developing, and coordinating

excellence in the arts.  Funding from the festival allows the Arts Center to host a wide variety of arts

programming including classes and youth art camps.  Email:festival@CherokeeArts.org

Directions

From I-575, take Exit 19 to downtown Canton. The Arts Center is just north of the town square

and adjacent to the Cherokee County Court House. Parking is available in the lot just in front 

of the building. Follow the signs to Brown Park.