Artists showcase crafts at Paradise City Arts Festival

Thousands of people made their way to Northampton this weekend for the Paradise City Arts Festival. 22 News reporter Sarah Bannamay shows us how the event's final day is keeping the creative spirit alive. From the moment the gates opened at Northampton's Three County Fairgrounds, creativity was everywhere. There are three barns, 200 artists, everything from home decor, incredible fine art and photography, wearables, jewelry, sculpture for your garden, ceramics, I mean you really name it. The Paradise City Arts Festival welcomed about 3,500 visitors on Friday and Saturday alone. And for show director Mariah Swanson, it was more than just shopping. She says it was about meeting the artists. We have demonstrations going on so you can actually learn about the process behind making all of these final forms. These are not outsourced to other countries. These are all local small businesses that have been working on their form and their craft their whole lives. Even after learning the craft, the artists say it's time to get into this festival. You have to submit photos of past work and shows and wait for approval, which ultimately makes paying for that booth totally worth it. It's always been a great festival, consistently for 30 years. It's great to see the people that we've worked with for this long. They come back year after year. They look for more things. They collect from all of our artists. And, you know, we become part of their family in a way. Yeah. And while some artists are returning favorites, others are getting their first opportunity to showcase their creations. When 22 News visited the festival back in May, Swanson highlighted the growing number of new and emerging artists. Now, even more artists are here with an inspiring story behind their work, too. I did this years and years ago with my mom. She was a clay sculpture artist, and as a kid, we would go all the way up and down the East Coast. So for me to be circling back, it's really, really nice and rewarding and feels good. The festival now heads to Marlboro before making its way back to Northampton next May. Working for you, Sarah Bannamay, 22 News.