Everyone is invited to participate in "Gourdin' on the River" at the Florida Gourd Society, Inc.'s ninth annual gourd show running from Feb. 23-25 in Palatka, Florida. There you will find a county fair atmosphere with free admission, ample free parking and lots of gourds.
On Friday shoppers will find a selection of thousands of undecorated gourds and hundreds of decorated gourds to choose from. Everyone can shop for hard-to-find crafting tools, supplies, and books about gourds. Participants can view free crafting demonstrations, or sign up for "hands-on" workshop projects covering a wide variety of crafting techniques and skill levels. Artists working in other media are invited to try gourds as a new "canvas" for expressing their creativity.
Several hundred exhibited gourds will be judged on Saturday morning, after which the public may view the judged entries, with award ribbons attached. The Florida Gourd Society, Inc. will host hospitality and information tables where the public can pick up free literature, purchase seeds, t-shirts, dried plant materials, fund-raiser raffle tickets, etc.
Gourd artists from around the country will have booths inside the building selling their unique "art", ranging from inexpensive birdhouses for the garden to somewhat pricier art pieces more suited for home decoration. Other vendors will offer how-to books, hard-to-find gourd crafting tools, and all manner of other specialized crafting supplies.
Under the arena cover commercial growers will sell thousands of high-quality dried gourds in all shapes and sizes. Vendors, artists and growers from as far away as Indiana and Missouri welcome the opportunity to talk about gourds and "spread the gourd glow."
Advance registration for the workshop classes is advised. Many of the more popular classes sell out by show time. For a complete schedule of activities, forms to register for classes, accommodations, and a map with directions to our new indoor location, please visit the FGSI website at www.flgourdsoc.org.
Gourd show vendor booths will be open 8:00-5:00 on Friday and Saturday, and 9:00-2:00 on Sunday. Workshop classes begin at 8:30 and 1:00. The judged gourd entries will be on public display from 10:00- 5:00 on Saturday and 9:00-2:00 on Sunday. The weekend event will take place at the Putnam County Fairgrounds at 111 Yelvington Rd., East Palatka, Florida, 32131 (off Highway 17).