Shaker Woods Festival 2024: Unlock Ohio’s Best-Kept Craft Secret!

The Shaker Woods Festival 2024 happens in August in Columbiana, Ohio. It shows handmade crafts from more than 200 artisans. Visitors can buy unique items and watch craft demos. The festival also has music, food, and kids’ activities. Learn about Shaker history while enjoying a fun day out.

Introduction

The Shaker Woods Festival is Columbiana County’s biggest summer event. This outdoor craft show happens every August in Columbiana, Ohio. It brings together over 200 artisans from across the United States. The 2024 festival runs on three consecutive weekends: August 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25. The event takes place at 44337 County Line Rd, Columbiana, OH 44408. Festival hours are 10am to 5pm each day. Rain or shine, the show goes on.

Shaker Woods features over 200 craft booths spread across 30 acres of woodland. Visitors can buy handmade items like pottery, jewelry, furniture, and quilts. Many artisans give live demonstrations of their craft. You can watch blacksmiths forge iron or weavers create textiles. The festival celebrates Shaker heritage. Costumed interpreters recreate 19th-century Shaker life. They demonstrate traditional skills like candle-making and herb gardening. This living history aspect sets Shaker Woods apart from other craft fairs. Live entertainment runs all day on multiple stages. Local and regional musicians perform folk, bluegrass, and country music. The festival also offers a variety of food options. Visitors can try traditional Shaker recipes or modern fair favorites.

Admission for adults is $10. Seniors (65+) pay the same price. Children under 12 enter free. Tickets are available online or at the gate. The festival provides free parking and shuttle services. Shaker Woods is wheelchair accessible. Rentals for wheelchairs and scooters are available on-site. Service animals are welcome, but pets are not allowed. The Shaker Woods Festival offers a unique blend of art, history, and entertainment. It’s an ideal day out for families, craft enthusiasts, and anyone looking to experience Ohio’s rich cultural heritage.

Shaker Woods Festival 2024 Essential Information

2024 Schedule

The Shaker Woods Festival happens on three weekends in August 2024. The dates are August 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25. The festival opens at 10:00 AM each day. It closes at 5:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays.

Festival Location

You can find the festival at 44337 County Line Rd, Columbiana, Ohio. The festival grounds cover 30 acres of wooded land. Signs will guide you from the main road to the parking areas.

Ticket Information

Adult tickets cost $10 at the gate. You can save $2 by buying tickets online. Kids under 12 get in free with an adult. Senior citizens get a $2 discount on admission.

Parking and Transportation

Parking is free at the festival grounds. Shuttle buses run from the parking lots to the entrance. The shuttles are also free. They run every 15 minutes during festival hours.

History and Background

The Shaker Woods Festival started in 1981 in Columbiana, Ohio. A small group of local artists created it to showcase their handmade crafts. The first festival was modest, with only 20 booths and 1,000 visitors. Over the years, the festival grew bigger. More artists joined, and more people came to see it. Today, Shaker Woods hosts over 200 craft booths. It attracts about 30,000 visitors each year from all over the country.

The festival’s name comes from the Shakers, a religious group that lived in Ohio in the 1800s. Shakers were known for their simple lifestyle and well-made crafts. The festival honors this heritage by teaching visitors about Shaker history and craftsmanship. At Shaker Woods, people can see traditional Shaker crafts and watch artisans work. Some festival workers dress in Shaker-style clothes. They show how Shakers lived and worked long ago. This mix of art and history makes the festival unique. As the festival grew, it added new features.

Now visitors can enjoy live music, food stands, and kids’ activities. But handmade crafts remain the main focus. The festival still celebrates the Shaker values of quality and simplicity. Shaker Woods has become important to Columbiana’s economy. It brings many visitors to the area each August. Local businesses see more customers during the festival weekends. Hotels, restaurants, and shops all benefit from the event. The festival has earned recognition for its quality. In 2023, it won the “Top 100 Best Classic & Contemporary Craft Shows” award. Many people consider it one of Ohio’s best craft shows. It’s known for having high-quality crafts and a family-friendly atmosphere.

Love country music and crafts? Check out the Country Calling Festival too! It’s another fun Ohio event with great music and food.

Artisans and Vendors for 2024

The Shaker Woods Festival will host over 200 artisans and vendors in 2024. These craftspeople come from all over the United States. Visitors can find a wide range of handmade items at the festival. The types of crafts include wooden furniture, quilts, pottery, and jewelry. Some vendors sell homemade candles and soaps. Others offer hand-woven baskets and metal sculptures. This year, several new vendors are joining the festival. One new vendor makes hand-dipped candles from soy wax. Many favorite artisans are returning in 2024.

Dan & Mary Beth Thomason will bring their famous handmade bags and clothing. Some vendors will demonstrate how they make their crafts. Visitors can watch a blacksmith work with hot metal and a potter-shaped clay. Several vendors make items inspired by Shaker designs. These include simple wooden boxes and ladder-back chairs. The festival will also have a variety of food vendors selling both traditional and modern fair foods. Visitors can get a map of all vendor locations at the entrance. There’s also an online list of vendors on the festival website. This helps people find the crafts they’re most interested in seeing.

Shaker Woods Festival Social Media Sites

Tips For the Festival

• Arrive early. The festival gets busier in the afternoon. Morning visitors can avoid crowds and parking hassles.
• Use sunscreen and bug spray. Much of the festival is outdoors. Protect yourself from sun and insects.
• Check the weather forecast. The festival happens rain or shine. Bring umbrellas or rain gear if needed.
• Bring a reusable water bottle. Water stations are available to refill your bottle for free.
• Plan your visit using the festival map. It helps you find specific vendors or events easily.
• Try the Shaker lemon pie. It’s a traditional recipe and a festival favorite.
• Visit on multiple days. The festival is large, and it’s hard to see everything in one day.
• Take breaks between shopping. Sit and enjoy the live music or watch a craft demonstration.
• Bring a cart or wagon. It makes carrying your purchases easier, especially for larger items.
• Talk to the artisans. They love sharing about their work and techniques.
• Consider buying tickets online. It’s often cheaper and lets you skip the ticket line.

Special Events and Activities for 2024

The Shaker Woods Festival in 2024 offers a wide range of events and activities for visitors. These include live music, craft demonstrations, historical reenactments, and special workshops. The festival aims to entertain and educate people of all ages. Live music is a big part of the festival. Local and regional bands perform daily on the main stage. Visitors can enjoy folk, country, and bluegrass music. The music schedule is available at the information booth.

Craft demonstrations are popular at Shaker Woods. Visitors can watch artisans at work. A glassblower will create vases and ornaments. A woodcarver will turn logs into sculptures. These demonstrations show how handmade crafts are created. Historical reenactments bring Shaker history to life. People dressed in Shaker clothing demonstrate 19th-century skills. They make candles, weave baskets, and explain Shaker traditions. Visitors can ask questions and learn about Shaker life. Children have their own special activities at the festival. A petting zoo lets kids meet farm animals. Face painting and storytelling sessions happen throughout the day. These activities keep younger visitors entertained and engaged. Food events add flavor to the festival.

A pie-eating contest is scheduled for August 10. A chili cook-off will happen on August 17. Visitors can taste different foods and vote for their favorites. New this year are special workshops for visitors. People can learn to make soap or weave small baskets. These hands-on activities let visitors create their own crafts. Evening events extend the festival experience. On Saturday nights, a lantern-lit walk explores the festival grounds. Guides share stories about Shaker history and local legends. Visitors can find a full schedule of events at the information booth or online. The festival website lists all special events and their times. This helps visitors plan their day and catch the activities that interest them most.

Music

The Shaker Woods Festival has lots of great music. Local bands play on the main stage every day. Visitors can hear folk, country, and bluegrass songs. Some musicians play old Shaker tunes too. People often sit on hay bales to listen. Kids dance in front of the stage. The music plays from morning until the festival closes. Some days have special concerts in the evening. Music adds to the fun, relaxed feeling at Shaker Woods.

Conclusion

The Shaker Woods Festival is a fun summer event in Ohio. It happens every August in Columbiana. The festival shows off many handmade crafts. Visitors can see over 200 artisans at work. They can buy unique items to take home. The festival also teaches about Shaker history. There’s more than just shopping at Shaker Woods. People can watch craft demos and listen to music. Kids have their own fun activities too. The festival is good for all ages. Families, craft lovers, and history fans all enjoy it. Many people come back year after year.

Shaker Woods helps the local community. It brings visitors to Columbiana. Local businesses get more customers during the festival. The 2024 festival will have some new things to see. There are new crafts and special events. The dates are August 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25. Tickets are on sale now. People can buy them online or at the gate. It’s a good idea to get tickets early. For more information, visit the Shaker Woods website. The site has a full schedule and vendor list. It also gives directions to the festival. The Shaker Woods Festival is a special Ohio tradition. It’s a great way to enjoy summer and learn something new.

FAQs – Shaker Woods Festival