Upcoming Trade Fair

By Jubilee P. Reid

The McMinn County Living Heritage Museum is preparing to host its 3rd Annual Living Legacy Trade Fair, sponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission. This free event will be open to the public from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, August 23^rd and Saturday, August 24^th.

More than 30 artisans and craftworkers will be demonstrating a variety of skills including crewel embroidery, brass spoon making, spinning, woodturning, blacksmithing, soap making, broom making, and felting. Other demonstrations will include herbal tinctures, gourd crafts, stained glass, honeybees, and Appalachian music. Revolutionary War reenactors will also be at the museum. Skills such as basketmaking, Cherokee beadwork, and finger weaving will be demonstrated. Visitors of all ages will be able to take part in activities. Older children and adults can participate in cheese and butter making, and on Friday younger visitors can make paper dolls. Saturday’s event will include a vendor selling bundt cakes.

On Saturday August 24^th, a silhouette artist, Chris Casey, will be in the museum’s Gallery One, creating silhouettes for visitors from noon to 3 p.m. An Eventbrite link will be on the museum’s website to register for this part of the Trade Fair, which requires a fee of $35 and is scheduled in 15-20 minute time slots. Three tickets can be purchased in the same time slot.

This centuries-old art form generally consists of hand-cutting a silhouette from black paper and adding it to a white background. Chris Casey creates silhouettes using surgical scissors to cut the image from high-quality paper. He will also have 5 by 7 oval black and gold frames available for an additional fee. If unframed, the silhouettes will be mounted on a background which will fit most 5 by 7 frames. Any age visitor can have a silhouette done, including babies. The artist can create the image accurately without needing the subject to sit still. The silhouette can include glasses and any hairstyle.  

Chris Casey is a second-generation silhouette artist having followed in his father, Edward’s, footsteps. After many years working as his father’s assistant, he is now one of only 20 or 25 people in the United States who practice this rare art profession. He travels to events all over the United States and other countries. Come to the Trade Fair to have a custom silhouette made! These make nice gifts for relatives and wonderful family keepsakes.

A Great Smoky Mountains National Park themed fall-colored quilt, pieced and quilted by members of the Heritage Quilt Guild of McMinn County, will be displayed at the museum during the Trade Fair. Visitors can purchase tickets for an opportunity to win this quilt for $2 apiece or $5 for three tickets. The drawing will be held on December 3^rd and the quilt can be mailed to an out-of-town winner. All proceeds from the drawing benefit the guild which donates quilts to multiple charities.

The museum’s first Living Legacy Trade Fair was held in August of 2022 and approximately 700 visitors attended over the weekend. A similar number attended last year’s fair. Many of the vendors will have products available for sale which would make nice gifts or add a local touch to your own home décor.

The 3^rd Annual Living Legacy Trade Fair is an excellent opportunity for adults and children to learn about many of the skills which were used regularly by the original settlers of McMinn County. This event will have something to interest visitors of every age. Come by the museum on the 23^rd or 24^th for a great afternoon and to support local artisans!