Texas State Arts and Crafts Fair
Whether you're an art connoisseur or just like to take an afternoon to admire the talent of skilled artists, you'll want to check out the Texas State Arts and Crafts Fair. This two-day fair in late September is set against the backdrop of the beautiful Guadalupe River in Ingram, Texas, an easy 30-minute drive from the Hotel Giles. The Texas State Arts and Crafts Fair has been a Hill Country favorite for 50 years – and it gets bigger and better each year!
Hosted on the 13-acre campus of the Hill Country Arts Foundation, this year's fair runs Saturday, September 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, September 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult admission is $10 for access to both days of the fair. Proceeds benefit the foundation and support its mission to enlighten and enrich the community through the arts.
As you stroll along from booth to booth at the Texas State Arts and Crafts Fair, you can visit with painters, potters, jewelry makers, sculptors, wood and metal workers, photographers, glass blowers, and other artists who will have their masterpieces and handcrafted work on display. In fact, there will be more than 120 fine artists and craftspeople from all over Texas exhibiting at the fair. Talk to the artists and find out what inspires them, then purchase a piece of art to remind you of your Hill Country getaway for years to come.
In addition to fine arts and crafts, there will be gourmet food, craft beer, live music, activities and art demonstrations. An array of delicious food and beverage options will be available for sale throughout the festival. Fill your belly with authentic Texas barbecue, Mexican food, crepes, chimney cakes, burgers, Cajun cuisine and more. Wet your whistle with Texas craft beer and wine in the Altstadt Biergarten.
Craftspeople will demonstrate their art for visitors of all ages, including fiber spinning, blacksmithing and ceramics. Get a fun living history lesson from the Texas Camel Corps. Pet the camels and learn how they were used in Texas in the 1800s. Don't resist the urge to dance over at the Stonehenge Stage, where musicians will have you grooving to a variety of musical genres – rock 'n' roll oldies, bluegrass, country, folk, a cappella gospel and ukuleles.
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” – Edgar Degas
