38th Annual Putney Craft Tour Named Top Ten Vermont Winter Event and Approved as an Official Vermont Arts 2016 Event
PUTNEY, VT—October 18, 2016—For the third year in a row, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce has named the Annual Putney Craft Tour as a Top Ten Winter Event (2016/17). The tour has also been approved as a Vermont Arts Council 2016 event. Also of note, the tour is the oldest continuing craft studio tour in North America.
The tour traditionally takes place on the long Thanksgiving weekend November 25, 26 and 27, 10-5p and gives shoppers, visitors and collectors another reason to be thankful. Local community, tour goers, and tourists are invited to celebrate the love of food in addition to the love of cultural activities during Putney Craft Tour’s Craft, Food and Stage Weekend. For the last three years the Putney Craft Tour, Next Stage Arts Project and Sandglass Theatre have joined forces to present and publicize a special Thanksgiving Weekend of Arts. The tour also invites area restaurants to participate by creating a Putney Craft Tour lunch or dinner “special.”
The tour will also raise funds for the Putney Foodshelf for the third year, an effort started by Nancy Calicchio, an artist on the tour.
“The Putney Craft Tour is more than a once a year event. Many of the studios are open year round, some by appointment, and the tour wants to be a resource for the community in ways that it can. Using our art to support our neighbors and young people in need is a way for us to give something back. Each studio on the Putney Craft Tour will showcase an object for sale with the proceeds going to the Foodshelf.”
Ken Pick, one of the founders of the Putney Craft Tour says, “The Craft, Food and Stage” weekend will be a great treat for visitors and locals alike. Not only will the craft tour be taking place during the day, Next Stage Arts Project and Sandglass Theatre will present special performances to tie in with the tour on the weekend and Putney’s restaurants will wine and dine the patrons.”
The impetus for the three-partner collaboration grew out an appreciation for the unusual rich cultural and culinary offerings in Putney.
“The opportunity to create a bigger and better weekend to draw more people has had a positive impact on our respective organizations over the last two years,” says Pick. “We’re looking for the same this year. Bringing in the restaurants really added to the draw to Putney on Thanksgiving Weekend.”
The Putney Craft Tour invites visitors to this craft rich area of Vermont to meet the 22 working artists on this year’s tour including four new members. Visitors can see blacksmiths, glass blowers, potters, jewelers, weavers, woodworkers – even artisan cheesemakers, a custom bicycle maker and winemaking. Part of the fun is meandering through the beautiful Vermont countryside, following the map to find these prominent craftspeople and view the works where they are conceived and created. Visitors may start at The Gleanery Restaurant, 133 Main Street, Putney for info, maps, and a preview exhibition of the artisans’ works. www.putneycrafts.com
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