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Tryon Arts & Crafts School announces the Westside Mixers, a monthly outdoor event series with Lead Sponsor New View Realty taking place on the second Fridays of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., June through October.

 

The mixers are free, open to everyone, and friendly to all ages. Each mixer will feature live music, interactive art demonstrations, food trucks, and games. Activities will stretch across TACS’ park-like school grounds at Harmon Field, which recently earned a Certificate of Recognition for landscaping and beautification from the Polk County Appearance Commission.

 

The community is asked to dust off their lawn chairs and blankets, and mark each second Friday for mixers featuring the following craft disciplines: pottery on June 10, woodworking on July 8, metalwork on August 12, fiber arts on September 9, and glass art on October 1.

 

The June 10 kick-off mixer will feature local musical favorites The Trophy Husbands. The band will grace the new shaded performance area overlooking the fire pits and field. The band is known for playing an eclectic mix of first-rate string-plucking tunes with their own unique spin and vocal harmonies.

 

Rural Seed Restaurant will see to the culinary delights of guests with baked spaghetti dinners while Frozen Frog food truck offers cold treats and beverages. The sale of spaghetti will benefit TACS’ silversmithing and enameling programs. Wine and beer will be available for purchase.

 

Local crafters, such as Jim Cullen, Ann Gleason, Susan McDade, Leigh Nodine, Reid Coyner, and Ron Ponce will be on hand to demonstrate the potter’s wheel and Majolica tile painting. Guests who ask nicely may get to put their hands in the mud and try the various techniques presented. The youth crafts station will have supervised paint-your-pottery activities.

 

The school’s second annual student-teacher pottery sale will run from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, with proceeds going to the artists and to Clay Studio improvements.

 

Future mixers will be packed with special entertainment such as Letters to Abigail and Asheville-based Buffalo Kings. Food vendors will feature Just a Smile Caribbean, Nom Sense, Yum Bai, P4P Sweet Treats, and Toasted Cuban. Renowned craftspeople will demonstrate, such as pyrographer Cynthia Carden, woodturner Mark Hancock, luthier Mike Burger, silversmith Ilene Kay, copper textured bronze artist Joe Cooper, and many others.

 

Submitted by Alex Gerst