Kicking off one of the area’s signature cultural event — the Creative Arts Guild’s Festival of fine arts and crafts — is the upcoming Festival Patron Party on Friday, Sept. 19. The event offers patrons a first chance at purchasing work in the annual Festival juried exhibit as well as enjoying what has become a culinary traditional feast, “A Taste of Dalton.”

“A Taste of Dalton compliments the Patron Party in that it features the best of the best,” said Leanne Lawson, Festival director. “We are delighted to have some of the finest dining establishments in the area offering a sampling menu for our guests. Patrons have enjoyed this opportunity to meet local restaurateurs and chefs so much so that we’ve decided to make a Taste of Dalton a Festival tradition. Patrons won’t go away hungry,” she said.

Patron Party chairmen Joanne and Marvin Lewis have lined up a slate of great restaurants for the event. The Dalton Golf and Country Club, Cornerstone Grill, The Filling Station, Peacock Alley Tearoom, Dalton Depot Restaurant, and newcomers Amici’s Italian Bistro, The Farm and Planet of the Grapes Restaurant are participating and to round out the evening, coffees from Pentz Street Station will be served.

“Our Patron Party chairs, co-chairs, and volunteers have outdone themselves on the food selection this year,” said Lawson, adding “And I simply can’t say enough about the support we’ve received from the participating restaurants.”

Shaw Industries continues its long-standing sponsorship of the Patron’s Party. Shaw, along with Mohawk Industries, Wachovia Bank, Windstream and Cohutta Banking Co. and the city of Dalton are major sponsors of the Guild’s Festival. More than 90 other businesses and individuals also contributed to the event’s success.

The Patron Party begins at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 19 with tickets at $45 per person and may be obtained by calling 706-278-0168. Tickets for the special 6:30 p.m. Judges’ Preview Party are $300 per couple, but that ticket price is applied to the purchase of work from the Festival exhibit. Judge’s Preview Party attendees have first choice on any pieces in the exhibit.

The Patron Party is the traditional kickoff to Festival weekend for the Guild. In addition to the juried exhibit on Sept. 20 and 21, more than 50 artists will offer a variety of work ranging from paintings to ceramics to jewelry. Admission is free, parking is free and a free shuttle will transport visitors between the Waugh Street facility and parking at First Baptist Church, the Northwest Georgia Regional Library and the Dalton Whitfield Senior Center.

Festival also includes musical and dance performances, a student 3-D art exhibit, the Royal Reading Room and the popular Children’s Hill events that allow parents to shop while children engage their imaginations in a safe and well supervised area.

“We are very excited about Festival this year,” said Cindy McCreery, board chairman. “We are always happy to welcome back many familiar friends and look forward to our new artist participants. We believe Festival represents a tremendous community asset and hope the community will bring their family and friends to enjoy the weekend.” 

For more information about Festival, visit the Guild’s Web site at www.creativeartsguild.org or call 706-278-0168.  The Creative Arts Guild is the oldest community based multi-disciplinary arts organization in the state. The programs of the Creative Arts Guild are supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. The council is a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.