More than 75,000 visitors are expected to flock to Downtown Branson for the 34th Annual Autumn Daze Arts and Crafts Festival which begins today and runs through Sunday.
“It is a long time tradition,” Downtown Branson Main Street Association Executive Director Gayla Roten said. “It is a good time to come back to downtown and experience the historic district. Fall is in the air.”
Beginning at 9 a.m. this September 20th, the Awbery Parking Lot on the corner of Commercial and Atlantic Street, as well as down Commercial Street, more than 150 craft vendors from all over the country will set up in the area.
Autumn Daze is the largest independent arts and crafts festival in southwest Missouri. Artists striving to keep the traditions and cultures of America’s past alive will be showcasing their work.
Applicants are screened by a jury committee to ensure that products are hand-made and exhibited by the person who made them. Another reason the artists are hand picked is to guarantee a wide array of original arts and crafts for patrons.
Roten said there will be a lot of items for people looking to decorate their homes with or to get some early Christmas shopping done.
Patrons strolling the downtown area will find unique items such as pottery, quilts, paintings, jewelry, wood carvings, toys, lotions, candles and floral arrangements. Many times the creators of the products will be on-hand, demonstrating their crafts as well.
Many of the downtown stores will also be setting up sidewalk sales throughout the event for more shopping and browsing options. Authentic crafts won’t be the only thing patrons will be able to get their hands on. Food vendors will be cooking up traditional Ozarks foods such as kettle corn, homemade ice cream, funnel cakes, deep fried twinkies, buffalo burgers, steamed corn on the cob and fruit smoothies. Downtown restaurants will also be open and welcome festival goers to enjoy family-style favorites as well as authentic food choices.
“It is another reason to come to downtown Branson,” Roten said.
Information courtesy of Branson Daily News