After serving as a staging ground for Hurricane Helene relief, Banner Elk’s town green gets back to its regular purpose with the return of community events.
The first four events to return are the popular Art on the Greene summertime two-day art shows, which take place the following weekends: May 24-25, July 5-6, Aug. 2-3 and Aug. 30-31.
Some of the best artwork in the Blue Ridge Mountains can be found as 40 to 60 local and regional artists display their wares on the manicured lawn of the Historic Banner Elk School.
Art on the Greene embraces heritage arts and crafts passed down through generations in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This year, the shows also embrace the bouncing back of mountain communities like Banner Elk from major setbacks last fall caused by the storm.
“We want to reassure visitors that the Banner Elk they know and love is still here, so please come see us,” says Banner Elk mayor Brenda Lyerly. “We still hear from people who are surprised that most of our restaurants, attractions, shops and accommodations are open, and have been for quite some time. And the roads are fine. There are no problems getting here.”
All four shows feature juried artists representing a wide variety of media, including metal, glass, ceramics, wood, jewelry and watercolors. Shoppers can add one-of-a-kind pieces to their art collection, or take home functional hand-crafted items for daily use.
Additionally, a number of restaurants, shops and accommodations are within walking distance of the town green.
“Not only do these shows help our town and businesses recover,” says show director Nancy Owen, “they help the artists recover as many of them live in these mountains.”
There is no admission fee for Art on the Greene. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
For more details, call (828) 898-5398 or visit www.BannerElk.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.