It was 85 degrees at 10am, but that didn’t stop thousands of visitors from attending the annual event that is the Brandywine Arts Festival. In Brandywine Park, at the bottom of Monkey Hill, over 250 artists put up tents and tables in order to showcase their unique talents. They come from different locations across the country, and so do the patrons who travel to the festival to find that perfect “one of a kind” item for their home, or that special gift for someone else.
The variety of art is impressive. There are paintings, photographic works, sculptures, metal art, hand-crafted jewelry, personalized art, clothing, woodworking, blown glass, and so much more.
Fly Home BirdhousesWine Barrel Designs offers one-of-a-kind furniture made from recycled wine barrels. Some items displayed were a bistro table with stools and a wine rack in the base, as well as a coffee table with a wine rack in the middle.
Fly Home Birdhouses caught my attention with their bright colors, whimsical designs, and copper roofs atop their hand-crafted creations. Artist Clark Hansberger traveled 4 hours for the festival and shared that “Wilmington is a nice little town.”
Out on a Limb uses Driftwood & Seaglass to create coffee tables, benches, candle holders, and wine racks. The Owner is Wilmington native Kenneth Kreider, and he uses a “green” approach by repurposing natural elements into furniture and other useful items.
Igneous Rock Gallery has custom crafted natural stone fountains, and no two are alike. The rocks are found in only one place, which adds to their uniqueness. Seeing the water come up through the rocks was pretty cool!
Metal Expressions, Ltd. was my favorite. I enjoyed chatting with Artist Ron Stinson about how he gets an idea for a design and then brings it to life through his sculptures. I may just look for Ron when I return to the festival next year, and purchase one of his pieces.
The Brandywine Arts Festival is normally held the weekend after Labor Day. Hours for Saturday are 10am-6:30pm and Sunday from 10am-4pm. Admission is $5, and children under 12 are admitted Free. Parking is also free and shuttle service is provided from the lots to the festival grounds.