The Floyd Artisan Trail Annual Tour soon will get underway to showcase Floyd’s artists’ studios, local eateries, organic farms, hand-crafted jewelry, art galleries, and the natural beauty.
The free tour of Floyd’s artisans will offer visitors a chance to join free lectures/workshops, tour working artists’ studios and organic farms, view pottery-making and woodworking demonstrations, purchase beautiful artwork, crafts, and farm products, learn about beekeeping, and make friends with sheep, alpacas, and goats.
Many tour sites will offer refreshments for sale such as hand-dipped ice cream, wine tastings, fresh eggs, organic vegetables, pasture-raised meat, fresh-baked bread and pastries, even local distilled moonshine.
The three-day event includes more than 30 sites across Floyd County. It is hosted by the Floyd Center for the Arts. For the full tour schedule, and a complete list of all the sites with maps, visit www.FloydArtisanTrail.org.
“Whether a first-time visitor or a Floyd regular, the Artisan Trail Tour is a great way to explore the diversity and talents of Floyd’s creative culture.” said Jeff Liverman, executive director of the Floyd Center for the Arts. “Floyd County is full of talented crafters, amazing artisans, and innovative farmers who cross-pollinate to create a unique approach to life. The Artisan Trail is a wonderful way to get a taste of all there is to see and do here.”
This year’s trail will feature returning and new makers of all kinds – artisan studios featuring fiber arts, jewelry, pottery, fine paintings, and woodworking. Galleries and shops on the tour include art cooperatives, country farm stores, local galleries and businesses representing numerous Floyd artists, as well as our host organization, the Floyd Center for the Arts.
Bluegrass, old time music, blues and dancing will be featured at several tour sites, to include the world famous Friday Night Jamboree at the Floyd Country Store in downtown Floyd, and live rock band at Dogtown Roadhouse both Friday and Saturday nights.
On one stop on the trail, participants will have a chance to meet the alpacas at a unique farm store, Ocotilla’s Mountainside Alpacas. At another stop on the tour, meet world-renowned beekeeper, Gunther Hauk, at Spikenard Honeybee Sanctuary.
Floyd is known for its inspired “new folk” approach to pottery. A variety of pottery studios across Floyd will be included in the tour. The tour will include Abby Reczek, Greta Pots, Sarah McCarthy Pottery, Frog Hollow Pottery, The Phelps Studios, and Wrenn Pottery. See the potters in action at these full-time working studios.
Numerous fine art studios have special activities and demonstrations planned. Find oil on canvas painting demonstrations by Joli Ayn Wood at her studio, quilt making at Calico & Old Lace. Woodworking demonstrations and information can be seen at Phoenix Hardwoods and St. Pierre Woodworking.
Samplings of Floyd’s eateries are also included on the tour such as Tuggles Gap Restaurant, Grateful Bread Bakery and the Floyd Country Store. Visitors can seek lodging with another tour stop, Hotel Floyd, which features a gallery with the work of local artist exhibited.
The Floyd Center for the Arts will open three gallery shows on Saturday, June 8 with an artist’s reception at 5 p.m., opening in the Hayloft Gallery, VMFA Fellowship Winners Show curated by Charlie Brouwer. Starroot will be featured artist in the Falcon Gallery and the Floyd County High School show will hang in the Breezeway Gallery.
Tour hours are: Friday and Saturday, June 8 and 9, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, June 10, noon to 5 p.m. Visitor information will be available at the Floyd County Visitor Center and at the host site, Floyd Center for the Arts.
Updated schedule, details, and printable brochure can be found on our Facebook page and on our website. Hard-copy tour brochure and maps will be available at the Floyd Center for the Arts and the Floyd County Visitor Center.
For more information, visit: FloydArtCenter.org or call (540) 745-2784. The center is located at 220 Parkway Lane South in Floyd, ½ mile south of the stoplight on Virginia 8. Regular hours are: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
