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SALUDA—One of Western North Carolina’s favorite springtime traditions, the Saluda Arts Festival, returns for its 19th edition this year on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The one-day, free-admission event draws thousands to Saluda’s historic downtown every year. 

Nearly 100 regional artists will offer a wide range of arts and craft across all media—painting, drawing, sculpture, woodworking, jewelry, ceramics, and more. 

“The range of work at the Saluda Arts Festival is always amazing, fun, and impressive,” says Howard Troxler, a Saluda volunteer helping to promote the festival. “And one of the great things about the Saluda Arts Festival is that it is an all-community event, put on entirely by a strong group of volunteers and thanks to generous individual and business donors.”

In addition to an impressive array of art, the Saluda Arts Festival features live music, entertainment, and a popular Children’s Tent with face painting and other activities. The children’s activity tent and children’s entertainment are sponsored by the Saluda Community Fund of the Polk County Community Foundation. 

This year’s Saluda Arts Festival will feature live music in two venues from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the courtyard at Saluda Glass Moon Gallery, located at 24 W. Main Street between the Saluda Historic Depot and the Saluda Visitor Center, attendees can enjoy a community chorus, Mountain Song, from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., followed by Life Like Water, an Asheville world sound ensemble, from noon to 1:30 p.m. and Slow Runner featuring songwriter/performer Michael Flynn from 2 to 4 p.m.

Additionally, Over Mountain Old Time Band, an Appalachian and Celtic open jam group, will perform from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Saluda Studios, located across from Green River BBQ at 144 US-176.

Saluda is located off Exit 59 on Interstate 26, south of Hendersonville. Signs will direct visitors to parking. Parking shuttles will run all day from an event lot next to Saluda Cemetery. Parking is also available in the municipal lot on East Main Street, Saluda Elementary School, and anywhere else parking is permitted. No parking is allowed on residential streets or sidewalks. Please consider leaving pets at home for this warm spring outing, but leashed pets are permissible.

The festival gratefully acknowledges the help and in-kind services of the City of Saluda, along with its underwriters and sponsors. The deadline for artist applications for the 2024 festival was March 1. 

You can follow updates on the event’s Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as at www.saluda.com/saluda-arts-festival. If you have questions, contact the organizers at saludancartsfestival@gmail.com.