Howard Finster's Paradise Garden hosts its annual two-day art festival, Finster Fest, on September 21–22 in Summerville, Georgia in historic Paradise Garden. Finster Fest will feature 70 folk, craft and fine artists, music and dance performances, and special guest presentations. In addition, patrons will experience a menu of tasty southern fare, a fun-filled children's art activity area, and, of course, the chance to tour Howard Finster's famous historic folk art environment.
Finster Fest features nationally recognized self-taught artists from 12 states including Marshall Blevins (Mississippi), Eric Legge (Georgia), Jim Kopp (Wyoming), Kimberly Dawn Crowder (Tennessee) and Kyle "Black Cat Tips" Brooks (Georgia).
Music performances will be headlined by Kevn Kinney, lead vocalist and guitarist of Drivin N Cryin, folk-country singer Caroline Herring and singer-songwriter Abe Partridge. The 15 music performances held in various parts of Paradise Garden over the two-day festival will include folk, Americana, gospel, bluegrass, indie and country music.
For the first time, Finster Fest will include dance, with performances-in-motion throughout the festival grounds by Atlanta's Beacon Dance.
Speakers will include Jerry Grillo, author of the biography Big Cat: The Life of Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Mize; attorney McCracken Posten, author of the nonfiction true-crime story Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom; and art auction house owner and self-taught art expert Steve Slotin leading a discussion on folk art collecting. Festival food will showcase southern fare such as barbecue ribs and chicken and the Chattooga Garden Club's famous Paradise pimento cheese sandwiches and homemade pound cake, washed down with sweet tea.
"We are so appreciative of the National Endowment for the Arts and Georgia Council for the Arts for being our lead supporters as well as our festival patrons who travel from 14 states to attend this nationally recognized art festival," said Tina Cox, Executive Director of the nonprofit Paradise Garden Foundation.
Event Details for Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden Finster Fest Art Festival
Finster Fest features nationally recognized self-taught artists from 12 states including Marshall Blevins (Mississippi), Eric Legge (Georgia), Jim Kopp (Wyoming), Kimberly Dawn Crowder (Tennessee) and Kyle "Black Cat Tips" Brooks (Georgia).
Music performances will be headlined by Kevn Kinney, lead vocalist and guitarist of Drivin N Cryin, folk-country singer Caroline Herring and singer-songwriter Abe Partridge. The 15 music performances held in various parts of Paradise Garden over the two-day festival will include folk, Americana, gospel, bluegrass, indie and country music.
For the first time, Finster Fest will include dance, with performances-in-motion throughout the festival grounds by Atlanta's Beacon Dance.
Speakers will include Jerry Grillo, author of the biography Big Cat: The Life of Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Mize; attorney McCracken Posten, author of the nonfiction true-crime story Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom; and art auction house owner and self-taught art expert Steve Slotin leading a discussion on folk art collecting. Festival food will showcase southern fare such as barbecue ribs and chicken and the Chattooga Garden Club's famous Paradise pimento cheese sandwiches and homemade pound cake, washed down with sweet tea.
"We are so appreciative of the National Endowment for the Arts and Georgia Council for the Arts for being our lead supporters as well as our festival patrons who travel from 14 states to attend this nationally recognized art festival," said Tina Cox, Executive Director of the nonprofit Paradise Garden Foundation.
Event Details for Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden Finster Fest Art Festival
- Location: Howard Finster's Paradise Garden, 200 North Lewis Street Summerville, GA 30747
- Dates: September 21 and 22, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
- Tickets: Buy tickets here or call 706-808-0800. General admission is $10 (children 12 and under free), Chattooga County residents and Paradise Garden members $5. The VIP Patron Hospitality experience includes food, drink and a cozy place to "take 5," among other benefits.
- Parking: Parking is free at the Walmart on U.S. 27 just north of the Paradise Garden, with complimentary 3-minute shuttles provided throughout both days. Parking for guests with disabilities is available on site.
Look for updates at Howard Finster's Paradise Garden on Facebook and Instagram.
About Paradise Garden Foundation
The Paradise Garden Foundation’s mission is to preserve, maintain and showcase Rev. Howard Finster’s visionary artistic site, Paradise Garden. The Foundation’s primary goal is to serve as a social, cultural, educational and artistic nexus for the benefit of Chattooga County and the Northwest Georgia region while also continuing to serve Finster's mission to spread the message and vision for his garden to people worldwide by fostering regional economic development via tourism, public service and creative enterprise. To learn more, visit www.paradisegardenfoundation.org, or call 706-808-0800.
About Finster Fest
Finster Fest launched in 1991 and is Summerville's biggest annual event, drawing more than 2,400 guests from all over the Southeast to Paradise Garden, which is included on the National Register of Historic Places. Proceeds from Finster Fest benefit the nonprofit Paradise Garden Foundation, which operates and works continuously to restore Howard Finster's 4-acre-plus art environment and cultural center. For more information, visit https://paradisegardenfoundation.org/finster-fest.
