By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

New styles and old favorites will be featured at this year’s Chilton County Arts Council Arts Festival.

The event will be held on July 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Clanton Performing Arts Center.

Organizer Mack Gothard said the festival is a good way to support local artists.

Admission to the event is free, and a variety of art mediums and styles will be on display for purchase.

“It is unique, one-of-a-kind, handcrafted items,” Gothard said.

Some of the artwork types will include pottery, wood carvings, jewelry, gourds, glass and fabric.

There are 10 new vendors for this year.

“It is exciting to know that we have different people with glass, different people with paintings and new people doing woodwork with some of the old artists that come every year,” Gothard said. “It is exciting to know we have new people wanting to come to our event.”

There will be a total of 50 vendors, including local artists as well as others from Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia.

Maurice Cook, famous Alabama folk art painter, is returning to the event this year.

“He will be back demonstrating his paintings,” Gothard said.

Tim Tingle, who created the wood carvings at Orr Park, will also have a booth at the show.

Gothard said he enjoys “seeing what the artists have created” since the previous art show.

This year, he is also looking forward to seeing what the new vendors will have to offer.

The artwork and crafts will feature a range of prices, giving opportunities for budgets large and small to take home a unique piece.

Gothard said the event is a good gift-buying opportunity.

With so much to see, Gothard recommended those attending buy the pieces they like as soon as they see them.

“You better grab it while you can because if you go back, it won’t be there,” Gothard said.

Some attendees in the past have said a piece sold before they got a chance to go back to the vendor a second time, he said.

Many of the vendors will accept debit/credit cards. However, others will require cash.

A local food vendor will also be on-site.

The Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center is located at 1850 lay Dam Road in Clanton.

For more information, contact Gothard at chiltoncountyartscouncil@hotmail.com or (205) 244-9441.