Working the Shows Wednesday - Sugarloaf Crafts at Wilmington, DE - Sept. 25-27, 2009

More than 200 national artists and craft designers will gather for the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Wilmington to present their contemporary crafts in a lively festival marketplace celebrating the American artist through a wide range of crafts, engaging demonstrations, music and family entertainment. The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival is open, Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27, 2009 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront.

The Sugarloaf Craft Festival showcases the wide range of contemporary crafts by offering both serious collectors and casual shoppers the opportunity to discover one-of-a-kind, handmade creations. Avid craft enthusiasts know that Sugarloaf Craft Festivals have long been recognized as the leader in offering the crafts that are featured in magazines, exhibited in fine galleries and museum shows, and acquired by prestigious collections; but the Sugarloaf show in Wilmington will also offer affordable and innovative functional and decorative pottery, sculpture, glass, home décor, furniture and home accessories, leather, fiber and wearables, items for the garden, fine art and photography.

Many artists at the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival use such classic skills as raku ceramics, glassblowing, leather working, blacksmithing and woodturning, while others exemplify the latest trends crafts, such as mixing materials, incorporating and repurposing recycled objects, and exploring new techniques and processes.

“We want Sugarloaf visitors to experience the full range of what is happening now in American crafts as well as seeing what they have always loved,” said Deann Verdier, president of the show’s producer, Sugarloaf Mountain Works. “For example, they can meet a well-established potter or a jewelry maker whose works are based on familiar designs, as well as a young painter or glassblower experimenting with more abstract images and new colors.”

The variety of crafts at the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival is complemented by a diversity of entertainment for the whole family. Throughout the show, master craftspeople will demonstrate their expertise in a range of media, including paper-making, metal spinning, and stone carving. The lively Festival marketplace includes specialty gourmet food for sampling and purchase; and eclectic musical performances, including acoustic guitar, live piano, and and vocal performances of French classics. Children can participate in their favorite fairytales with Middle Earth Studio’s dress up theater.


The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival will be held Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sunday, September 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Chase Center on the Riverfront. The Chase Center is located at 815 Justison Street, in Wilmington, DE.

Adult admission to the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival is $7 when purchased online, $8 for adults at the door, free for children under 12. Admission is good for all three days, and free parking is available.

Picture Directory (from top to bottom):

Pendant by Rona Fisher

Sculpture by Dan Murphy

Baskets by Victoria Cox

Tray with glasses by Susan Schmidt

Ring by Lisa Walsh

For more information about the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival, directions, or to purchase discount admission tickets visit http://www.sugarloafcrafts.com/ or call (800) 210-9900. Additional show information, artist profiles, and special offers may be found on the shows’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sugarloafcrafts.

About the Sugarloaf Craft Festivals:For over 30 years, the nation’s most talented artisans have sold their contemporary crafts and fine art at Sugarloaf Craft Festivals, rated as one of

the top craft experiences in the country. Last year, more than 250,000 visitors purchased over $20 million in fine arts and crafts directly from the artists at Sugarloaf festivals.