Arts Community Celebration in Downtown Clifton Forge

Clifton Forge, Va. (VR) – The Arts Community Celebration offers an exciting glimpse of various arts and crafts in our area from October 14 through October 22. Arts presentations are scheduled daily including Fine Art (Painting), Performing Arts (Dance & Theatre), and Crafts (Quilting, Woodturning, and more)! Partners include Alleghany Highlands Arts & Crafts Center, Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce, Blue Spring Run Farm, Clifton Forge School of the Arts, C&O Heritage Center, Cora Dance, Four Moons Designs, Lollie’s Quilt Shop, The Historic Masonic Theatre, Town of Clifton Forge and Clifton Forge Shrine Club Fall Festival. The Arts Community Celebration begins at noon on September 14 which is also the opening ceremony for the much-loved Clifton Forge Shrine Club Fall Foliage Festival which began in 1966. Opening Ceremony of Fall Foliage Festival will take place on the Primus Bank parking lot.

This is the third year that the Arts Organizations in Clifton Forge have united to present amazing arts and crafts. Bigger and better are the terms that describe this year’s event with a new name to reflect the Arts organizations, Main and Ridgeway businesses and C&O Railway Heritage Center. All are combining forces to show the versatility of arts and crafts in the area. Every day thousands of American artists share their vision and talents by producing remarkable hand-made decorative and functional objects and offering beauty, entertainment, escape and inspiration in the form of visual and performance arts and dance. Thousands of retailers and theatres share their love of these experiences by displaying, exhibiting, educating, and promoting; in addition to selling visual and performing arts and crafts. The Arts enrich our homes, wardrobes, offices, public spaces, as well as contribute to our national economy, our balance of trade, and the fabric of our national history. Many would say the arts provide sanity in a complicated world. Arts and crafts are original, beautiful, and enduring, and the Arts Community is displaying the creativity that exists in this area.

In addition to many arts and craft displays, demonstrations and quilt and art exhibits, Cora Dance will bring music and dance to the streets of Clifton Forge.

Most of the demonstrations will occur between 11:00 am to 3:00 pm every day, and a schedule will be posted at each participating venue. A special emphasis for the Arts Community Celebration is to provide activities for children on the two weekends. The Historic Masonic Theatre will provide self-guided tours and the Kaye England Quilt Exhibit; Alleghany Highlands Arts & Craft Center and Clifton Forge School of the Arts will display art exhibits. Lollie’s Quilt Show will provide daily Longarm Quilting demos, C&O Railway Heritage Center and will be open during their regular hours in addition to offering a workshop for children. Check with the participating venue to be certain of the time, and if you have questions. The schedule of events is listed below. All demonstrations, exhibits and displays are free of charge.

“Fall Foliage Festival History”, a presentation by Clifton Forge Shrine Club will be presented on Saturday, October 15 at 10:00 am in The Historic Masonic Theatre Auditorium. Fall Foliage Festival, sponsored by the Shriners has been making people happy annually since 1966. Learn how the Festival began and listen to the interesting stories that surround this annual event that raises money for the 22 Shriners hospitals for Children. Enjoy a stroll down memory lane as you learn how the event started and how it has continued for so many years.

Kaye England Quilt Exhibit, Historic Masonic Theatre. International quiltmaker, author, teacher and fabric designer, Kaye England, has provided twenty of her spectacular quilts to hang in the third-floor WestRock Room of The Historic Masonic Theatre. Patterns are also available for the majority of the quilts. Quilts made by local quilters will be displayed in other areas of the Theatre.

Alleghany Highlands Arts & Craft Center presents the 51st Fall Festival Art Show which coincides with the beginning of the Shriner’s Fall Festival. Every year this competition exhibit promises a great show free of charge. Works on display include paintings, sculpture, fiber, printmaking, and mixed media just to name a few. Visitors even become the judge by voting for their favorite piece for the “People’s Choice Award”.

Lollie’s Quilt Shop will provide continuous quilt demos using a long-arm quilt machine and a computerized program. You can try your own hand at this! A BERNINA sit down Q20 will be available for personal use as well.

Clifton Forge School of the Arts presents an exhibit in their Gallery by artist A.E. Reed, a native of Callaghan. Reed, a graphic designer who now lives in High Point, N.C. calls this show “a love letter to the Alleghany Highlands”. Appropriately named The Highlands Show, Reed has created 36 mixed-media works depicting scenes and landmarks from throughout the Alleghany Highlands.

Alleghany Highlands Arts & Craft Center presents Attic Treasures. The annual “Attic Treasures” back-room sale is held annually during the Shriner’s Fall Festival, October 14-16. You never know what nifty items could be found this weekend, or as always in the shop of over 250 artists!

The Historic Masonic Theatre offers continuous self-guided Theatre tours (all four floors) every day, 11:00 to 3:00 (unless specified) from October 14 through October 22.

Friday, October 14:

Opening Ceremonies of Shrine Club Fall Festival at noon; 1:00-3:00: Historic Masonic Theatre Tours; 12:30-1:30: Cora Dance Workshop, AH Arts & Craft Center; 2:30-1:30: Cora Dance Performance, AH Arts & Crafts Center.

7:30 pm: Irene Kelley at The Historic Masonic Theatre, Irene Kelley’s chart-topping mix of Bluegrass, Country and Americana appeals to music lovers across all genres. Irene’s current single “Lonely” reached #1 on Bluegrass Today’s Single Radio Chart in April of this year. Don’t miss one of America’s most beloved traditional music story-tellers. Tickets available at the door or online at www.historicmasonictheatre.com

Saturday, October 15:

11:00: Sound & Light Demo, Demo by Caleb & Ethan at Historic Masonic Theatre; 12:30: Digitizing Your Art Work, Demo by Chuck Almarez, AH Arts & Craft Center; 2:00 Kids Painting Program, Locomotive Craft, C&O Heritage Center; 3:00: Cora Dance Performance, AH Arts & Craft Center.

7:00 pm: The Announcers Gospel Sing presented by Clifton Forge Shrine Club at Central United Methodist Church. This free event is a Festival standard.

Sunday, October 16:

12:30: Sound & Light Demo, Demo & Caleb and Ethan at Historic Masonic Theatre; 2:00: Watercolor Painting, Demo by Brett Lague, AH Arts & Craft Center; 3:00 HOCUS POCUS Free Movie and popcorn, Historic Masonic Theatre.

Monday, October 17: