Gallery: Spring Artisan Market brings thousands to Downtown LaGrange

Published 10:00 pm Monday, April 25, 2022

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The “Walk on Ridley” Spring Artisan Market returned Saturday, welcoming thousands of visitors to Downtown LaGrange.

Presented by downtown LaGrange’s Emberglow, the event featured approximately 70 vendors, many selling the wares of their business or providing information of what their organizations have to offer.

Vendors like Hills and Dales provided information on many upcoming events and activities the venue has to offer. Sondra Bowie with Hills and Dale Estate had informative material on the estate as well as information on the events the estate will offer later this summer. Bowie additionally had several plants on display, such as mint and rubber, to demonstrate a plant identification activity Hills and Dales perform with area school children.

Other programs like the Exceptional Way, a day program for adults with mental and physical disabilities, brought awareness to their organization despite currently being at max capacity. Executive Director Cindy Skipford, said the event helped bring a lot of new interest to what it does as well as awareness for its search for a bigger facility.

Other vendors included local sellers such as Lazy Lizard sold handmade wood pieces. Tonya Chambers, owner of her at-home bakery Cakes by Southern Belle, sold homemade sweets. Barbara and Mark Ward, owners of Glass Creations, sold bird feeders, wind chimes and lamps made from repurposed glass bottles.

The Artisan Fair was the Wards’ first market that year, Mark said.

“We spent a lot of January, February and March making them because we knew we had [the artisan fair] and [other events] in a five-week period,” he said. The Wards will be selling their creations at the downtown Market on Main later this summer.

The event additional featured live music and other spectacles. Angelo Robinson, a Senoia-based artist, spent the entire event adding to a painting that he may auction off to charity. The market was his return to LaGrange in nearly 20 years he said.

Nikki Franklin, owner of Emberglow, called the event a success on Emberglow’s Facebook page.

“We are thankful for the love shown at our Spring Artisan Market in Downtown LaGrange,” Franklin said. “[We are] very happy for the many makers, food trucks, volunteers, city and county officials, small business owners, artists, kids and more. A special thanks to our sponsors, our dear friends and family for coming together to create something special for our community.”