Now in its 36th year, the Catonsville Arts and Crafts Festival along both sides of Fredrick Road between the Ingleside-Bloomsbury corner and Beaumont Avenue attracts tens of thousands each year. The event was started in 1969 by members of the Catonsville Forward Plan that was formed by The Woman’s Club of Catonsville, the Rolling Hills Woman’s Club and the Catonsville Business Association with the Catonsville Business Association with the view of upgrading the village of Catonsville. In that first year 52 artists, weavers, ceramists and wood carvers arranged stands near the sidewalks of Frederick Road’s 700 block. Now, hundreds of artists and crafts vendors who receive judges’ awards, plus many other attractions are offered.
By 1973 the Catonsville Jaycees took an interest, and their wives formed a group, later known as the Jaycettes who continued the expanding festivities for six more years. For the following four years no one took the responsibility for organizing the festival, but in 1983 the Jaycees resumed the sponsorship. That arrangement flourished until the Catonsville Jaycees disbanded in 1997. The following year a group of experienced volunteer leaders formed the Catonsville Festival Committee. This alliance was successful, followed by the leadership of the Director of the Greater Catonsville Chamber of Commerce. Since 2000, the festival is now sponsored and operated by the Greater Catonsville Chamber of Commerce along with many volunteers from the community who bring new an innovative ideas for expansion of the opportunities for fun and success. Vendors in their tent shops sell paintings, drawings, sculptures, stained glass, wood objects, wreaths, banners, dolls, hats, birdhouses, puzzles, metal arts, needlecraft, floral arrangements, jewelry and many other pieces of arts and crafts.
In addition to vendors, each year there are exhibits with information offered by groups with interests in health, schools, churches, the public library, genealogy, parks, recreation, neighborhoods, the senior center, pets, gardens, men’s clubs and women’s clubs.
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