There will be an Artisan Festival after all

Community volunteers headed by Kelly Klinck working in partnership with Madawaska Valley CAO Sue Klatt are putting in place last minute plans to hold an Artisan Festival on Saturday July 14 at the Barry’s Bay Railway Station. Prospects for the 34th annual event looked dim this year due to Township staff shortages and an unsuccessful conclusion to the negotiations between the Township and the Madawaska Valley Culture and Heritage Society. Valley vendors of arts and crafts were faced with the loss of income, and local merchants and residents wondered if the momentum of this long-standing summer event would ever be regained.

On June 14, however, members of the Valley arts community received the following email from Klinck:

It brings me great pleasure to confirm that the 34th annual Madawaska Valley Artisan Festival will take place at the Railway Station in Barry’s Bay on Saturday, July 14th, 2018.

 

I have volunteered to assist the new CAO of the Madawaska Valley with this project and apologize for the short notice and the rapid deadlines. Please find attached an information package as well as an application form.

 

Applications can be submitted via email, or by mail or in person to the Township Office at 85 Bay St. in Barry’s Bay. If you are submitting electronically, please “reply all” to ensure that the information is received by both Suzanne and myself.

 

I also encourage you to forward this material to others who may be interested in being a vendor at the festival or possibly a volunteer beforehand. We are also looking for suggestions for musical talent that would be available for hire.

 

 Please click HERE for the Madawaska Valley Artisan Festival – Info Package and click HERE for Madawaska Valley Artisan Festival – Vendor Application form. 

2017-artisan-festival-vendors-set-up

Vendors setting up for last year’s Artisan Festival (Photo: Facebook/Madawaska Valley)

Doug De La Matter, Chair of the Madawaska Valley Culture & Heritage Society, which had originally offered to run the event this summer as part of its management of the Railway Station, told The Current,

MVCHS is thrilled to learn that the Artisan Festival will be taking place in the Railway Station Park this summer.

 

We had hoped to restore the Station to its former role as a community hub, serving residents as well as visitors in many ways.

 

Our Artisans are an important part of that community and it is good to know that people are working hard behind the scenes to make sure that the results of their talents are shared in such a high-visibility setting.

 

We commend Kelly Klinck and Sue Klatt for what will be many hours of behind-the-scenes work involved in making this event a success for everyone involved.

 

Valley residents interested in exhibiting should submit applications no later than June 29. Community volunteers are encouraged to offer help as soon as possible. Emails should be addressed to both Klinck and Klatt at:

kelly@kellyhelp.ca

cao@madawaskavalley.ca

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