Bloomin’ Festival plans include art, crafts, food in 35th year
Published 12:07 pm Tuesday, March 19, 2019
- Bloomin’ Festival 2018
The 35th annual Bloomin’ Festival Arts & Crafts Fair is arriving a little early this year, but with plenty of new and familiar artists, demonstrations and food.
This year’s date for the regionally popular event is April 6-7, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days on the scenic grounds of St. Bernard Abbey and Preparatory School. The Ave Maria Grotto is will also be open with special prices for tours.
Recognized by the Southeast Tourism Society as a Top 20 event, the Bloomin’ Festival will feature about 250 vendors, selling everything from fine art to ornate ironworks. And there will also be plenty of that special bread, St. Bernard Best Bread, made by the monks at the abbey.
“It’s shaping up to be a good year,” said Bloomin’ Festival Director Joyce Nix. “We have some new artists who have not displayed in the area before. We’ll also have a variety of food, including a toffee maker.”
St. Bernard students — the Saints band — will provide some of the entertainment beginning Saturday morning in front of the dining hall. Incognito Cartel, a popular American jangle pop band from Nashville, will also perform on the opening day at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
“There’s something pretty much for everyone, no matter your age,” Nix said. “With archery being so popular here, we also have someone who makes bows. You can also watch demonstrations by an iron smith and a broom maker.”
Festival patrons will have the opportunity to shop for items such as jewelry, pottery, furniture, plants, leather goods, driftwood art, paintings, and a variety of glass art just to name a few.
Ave Maria Grotto will be open the entire weekend for a reduced admission of $3.
Food selections will be found under the big tent in front of the school library, which will consist of smoked chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, polish sausage, and Pepsi products. Other specialty items around campus will include: Nanny’s old-fashioned lemonade, cinnamon roasted nuts, fudge, cheese straws, Belgian waffles, caramel apple chips, and spiral potatoes.
T-shirts are available commemorating the 35th year event. Designed by Creative Design’s Jesse Erwin and Lexi Clemmons, the school selected two shirts available for $20 each, and come in a variety of colors.
At the conclusion of the event, five people will be awarded one of the following prizes: a 2019 Jeep Renegade 4×4 sport utility vehicle; a four-night vacation to Orange Beach, compliments of D&J Retreat Rentals; an Apple Watch Series 3 GPS; a set of Apple AirPods, and a weather radio from Cullman Electric Cooperative.
A donation of $5 is requested for entrance to the festival, and separate from the Grotto admission. Children under 5 get in free. Parking is free and handicap parking is available.
For more information about the Bloomin’ Festival, including a list of this year’s exhibitors, or to become a sponsor, visit bloominfestival.com. Information is also on the festival’s Facebook page. St. Bernard is located at 1600 St. Bernard Drive SE in Cullman.
Shirley A. Aaron (Lanett, AL) – Author
Sandra Abbott (Cullman, AL) – Pottery
Heather Adams (Decatur, AL) – Polymer clay jewelry
Jessica Allen (Kimberly, AL) – Pallet picture frames
Alejandro Amezcua (Nashville, TN) – Jewelry
David and Jan Anders (Cottondale, AL) – Handpainted Ceramic Pottery
Deborah Ashcraft (Bessemer, AL) – Hand lettering
Debra Ashworth (Gardendale, AL) – Children’s Clothing
Rami Awwad (Tuscumbia, AL) – Hand carved olivewood nativity sets, ornaments
Robert and Jimmye Bain (Rainbow City, AL) – Children’s art boxes and small fabric items
Chris Barentz (Leeds, AL) – Handpainted art on canvas, wood and various textiles
Matt and Linda Barry (Sewanee, TN) – Plants
Sally Batson (Murfreesboro, TN) – Floral and painted items
Stacey Beasley (Monroe, GA) – Handcrafted Scented Soy Candles
Jimmy Bendall (Northport, AL) – Silver Spoon Jewelry
Sarah Benefield (Cullman, AL) – Canvas paintings
Terry Benefield (Heflin, AL) – Wrought iron and birdhouses
Sandi Billings (Huntsville, AL) – Herbal soap, tea, salves, plants, deodorants
Tammy Blackburn (Skipperville, AL) – Artwork
Cary Bone (New Market, AL) – Handcrafted pens, seam rippers, etc.
Christina Bowles (Gulf Breeze, FL) – Customized yard signs
Sandy Brady (Steele, AL) – Wood, soft sculpture, sewing
Joyce Branch (Hanceville, AL) – Hand Painted Signs
Jim Braun (Decatur, AL) – Papercrete,cement, glass, jewelry
Brenda Bridges (Hueytown, AL) – Children’s applique shirts and clothing
Dylan Britt (Higdon, AL) – Leather
Ann Brown (Vinemont, AL) – Knit, crochet, sewing
Tracie Bryant (Athens, AL) – Ragdolls, pillows
Randy and Bev Bullard (Smyrna, TN) – Handpainted gourd birdhouses
Emily Busby (Guntersville, AL) – Pottery
Chris Bussler (Fayetteville, TN) – Fine Art
Talmadge Butler (Vinemont, AL) – Wood furniture
Cheri Button and Carol Greenhille (Hartselle, AL) – Button magnets; jewelry artwork
Mechele and Steve Carter (Haleyville, AL) – Driftwood Art
Larry Childers (Toney, AL) – Woodwork
Mary Childers (Toney, AL) – Sewing, crochet, and plastic weave
Kay Cornelius (Killen, AL) – Hats
Larry Couch (Cullman, AL) – Woodworking
Janette Cramer (Danville, AL) – Ceramics
Norris Crawford (Greensboro, AL) – Leather
Cullman County Master Gardeners (Cullman, AL) – Plants
Dan Davenport (Millington, MI) – Hand hammered aluminum giftware
Mike Davis (Brantley, AL) – Pottery
Donna DiGiorgio (Hoover, AL) – Bottle cap art
Stephanie Dingler (Mobile, AL) – woodwork
Emma Duncan (Birmingham, AL) – Handmade Pet items
Ray Dutton (Moulton, AL) – Birdhouses and feeders
Deborah Elliott (Birmingham, AL) – Art
Ruby Ellison (Memphis, TN) – Doll clothes and accessories
Laura and Lorenzo Estrada (Temple, GA) – Concrete statuary
Debra and Bobby Farley (Pelham, AL) – Jewelry
Steven Febres-Cordero (Centerpoint, AL) – Woodcarvings
Bill Finklea (Columbiana, AL) – Kettle Korn
Wade Fleshman (Miramar Beach, FL) – Fused glass
Deborah Foster (Prattville, AL) – Glass
Dave Geyer (Columbia, TN) – Ladies Clothing
Glenda Giles (Chattanooga, TN) – Fiber Art
Paul Glenn (Birmingham, AL) – Woodwork
Mike and Sara Goodson (Leeds, AL) – Wood hanger and yard signs
Lance Gracy (Fayetteville, TN) – Honey
Brian Greer (Falkville, AL) – Jewelry
Mike and Molly Gregory (Ozark, AL) – Corian trivets and cutting boards
Beth Harrison (Elkmont, AL) – Handmade soaps, bath and body
Anna Belle Hazard and Joyce Nix (Cullman, AL) – Wood signs/bowls/shelves, quilts, bowl cozies, and dog bandanas
Edward and Patricia Heerten (McCalla, AL) – Wood
Theresa Heffner (Hayden, AL) – Stained glass
Heaven Hight (Piedmont, AL) – Handmade bags
Marcus Hilden (New Market, AL) – Forged iron and copper
Tammy Hill (Cullman, AL) – Handmade furniture and accessories
Mechelle Hodgens (Arley, AL) – Artist
Billy and Tammy Howell (Gardendale, AL) – Metal Art
Georgia Hulbert (Gurley, AL) – Wood, pillows, planters
Connie Hulsey (Decatur, AL) – Recycled Art
Amanda Hunter (Huntsville, AL) – Unique succulent arrangements
Carol Hyde (Swansea, IL) – Whimsical succulent gardens in glass globes
Liping Jackson (Clanton, MS) – Clay art and jewelry
Lucy Jones (Navarre, FL) – marbeling silk scarves
Lucy Jones (Navarre, FL) – pottery
Bryan and Laura Jordan (Hoover, AL) – Pottery
Julie Kelley (Jasper, AL) – Candles, wax melts
Regina and Kim Kimbrough (Killen, AL) – Handpainted wooden door hangers
Marypat Klee (Huntsville, AL) – Wreaths
Kim LaRock (Huntsville, AL) – Pottery
Jerry and Jane Lashley (Lithia Springs, GA) – Cypress Outdoor Furniture
Kerry Leasure (Hoover, AL) – Jewelry
Joy LeDvina (Vestavia Hills, AL) – Hand dyed and sewn clothing
Huiying Lee (Conley, GA) – Bonsai – miniature trees
Johanna Littleton (Decatur, AL) – Paintings
Paulette Lucas (Bessemer, AL) – Handmade wooden music boxes
June Lusty (Franklin, TN) – Leather
Lynn Lusty (Old Hickory, TN) – Pottery
Jack Marshall (Metaire, LA) – Cinnamon roasted nuts
Robert Martindale (Russellville, AL) – Pottery
Francis Martin (Cantonment, FL) – wooden toys
Marty Maughn (Orange Beach, AL) – Fan-cy Ceiling Fan Pulls
Leldon Maxcy (Cullman, AL) – Woodwork
Jeff and Maggie Mayfield (Pulaski, TN) – Pottery
Jeanne McCostlin (Athens, AL) – Driftwood art, handbags, turned bowls, jewelry
Heather McDurmon (Rome, GA) – Hand dyed clothing
Roger McGuire (Falkville, AL) – Wood craft
Jackie Miller (Huntsville, AL) – Quilted items, art
Brenda Mitchell and Susan Coulter (Huntsville, AL) -Handmade bags, bows, doll clothes
Tracy Moore and Deborah Goodwin (Springville, AL) – inspirational clothing, paintings
Anthony and Tracy Murcks (Decatur, AL) – Chair Caining
Chad Nelson (Cullman, AL) – Pottery
Brandy Nevins (Hamilton, MS) – Yard Art, Decorative home accessories
Adam Nicholson (Murphy, NC) – Traditional longbows
Roni and Delores Norbut (Arab, AL) – Burlap door hangers, hairbows, bags, crochet items
Melanie Poole and Denise Poole-Cabela (Montevallo, AL) – Hats and Jewelry
Mary Prim (Graceville, FL) – Pottery
Cathy Probst-Walker (Crossville, TN) – Gourd art
Gary Reid (Cullman, AL) – Leather items made from boots
Tim Reid (Chattanooga, TN) – Wood turner
Janet Ravenna (Elmhurst, IL) – Mixed Media
Lori Rhodes (Pinson, AL) – Handmade Jewelry
Pat Rike (Bristol, VA) – Window Clings
Kelly Roberts (Hartselle, AL) – Painted ceramics, clay
Ellen Rodgers (Gulf Shores, AL) – Jewelry
Mary and Linda Rogers (Union Grove, AL) – Jewelry and Pottery
Shirley Russell (Grand Blanc, MI) – Folk Art (Woodcarving) Primitive style
Jimmy Rutherford (Shannon, MS) – Metal Art
Sara Rutherford (Shannon, MS) -Jewelry
Phyllis Sauls (Gadsden, AL) – Ladies Clothing, spoon jewelry
Darlene Seals (Holly Springs, MS) – Hair Bows
James Sebastian (Huntsville, AL) – Woodcarving and Chainsaw Art
Tim Sebastian (Huntsville, AL) – Sculptures and casting
Charles Schodorf (Elmore, AL) – Wood work
Thomas Simmons (Remlap, AL) – Belts, gunslings, and bullwhips
Dan Skinner (Nashville, TN) – Herbal wraps
Liz Smith (Joppa, AL) – Photography
Jarrod Smitherman (Cullman, AL) – Woodworking
Dawn Sparks (Arab, AL) – Whimsical art
John Sperry (Maysville, GA) – Folk art paintings
Beverly Stephens (Falkville, AL) – Childrens clothes and toys
Lenora Thomas (Magnolia, AR) – Vintage linen clothing
Cheryl Thompson (Hanceville, AL) – Bath and body products
Tony Thornock (Athens, AL) – Western Author
Thomas Troup (Guntersville, AL) – Windchimes
Marvin and Maureen Wallace (Decatur, AL) – Monogrammed items and wood plaques
Dee Washburn (Cullman, AL) – Artist/Musician
Bruce Washington (Anderson, SC) – Skin Care/soaps
Anita Watson (Columbia, TN) – Fudge
Pam Weaver (Vestavia, AL) – Buttnaked candles
Leonda Whetstone (Huntsville, AL) – Handwoven baskets
Annette White (Butler, AL) – Handpainted slates
Dennis Williams – Wooden toys
Susan Williams (Abbeville, MS) – Ceramic, wood and goat milk soap
Paul and Carol Woodham (Ozark, AL) – Welded and recycled metal crafts