Countryside Creative Fest holds first festival Sept. 7
Lyric Shearn, 4, of New Philadelphia checks out the pumpkins at Boltz Family Farms in 2021.
The first Countryside Creative Fest will bring the community together with small business owners at a one-day event at Boltz Family Farms, located just outside of New Philadelphia. Organizers hope to create an event that will become a new autumn tradition.
The event will be held Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Boltz Family Farms is located less than a minute drive from the New Philadelphia city line at 522 Hummel Valley Road.
Area artist Aubrey Gealsha came up with the idea for the event and contacted her friend Carol Boltz of Boltz Family Farms to join forces for the location. The focus of the guest vendors will be on the arts. The festival is not accepting any third-party sellers or vendors with nonoriginal designs.
“I wanted to have it because there’s not a lot of shows in the area, and if there are, they’re more likely craft driven. I wanted to have an event more art or small business driven,” Gealsha said.
In addition to fresh produce, meats and other items, Boltz Family Farms will have a variety of fall things including a corn pit, cornhole and other outdoor activities.
“The market will be open. We should have mums and some of our pumpkins and fall decorations, and we hope to have the corn maze ready to go too,” Carol Boltz said.
Boltz and Gealsha like that the event will help promote and support those in the area who have their own small businesses.
A variety of artists will be there including a ceramic artist, dinosaur crochet artist, illustrator and jewelry maker, and two painters who have different styles of work. Other items that will be for sale include macrame pot hangers, pots, plants, tumblers, cups, key chains and soaps. At press time there were 12 vendors scheduled to attend. More may be added. The latest information can be found on the Facebook event page, Countryside Creative Fest.
“It’s a good mix,” Gealsha said.
Look for art demonstrations at the event too.
“Several of the artists are going to be crocheting, doing macrame and creating some items on the spot,” Gealsha said.
Food and drink vendors scheduled are Open Sky Coffee, Dandy Dog and Bang On BBQ.
“Open Sky Coffee is a wonderful new business that just launched this year. She makes refreshers and coffees, so if you’re not a coffee drinker, she has something for you,” Gealsha said.
Gealsha likes the idea of sipping a coffee while picking out a pumpkin or one of the many gourds featured at Boltz Family Farms.
Dandy Dogs serves hot dogs and sausage. Bang On BBQ is from Gnadenhutten and serves traditional American barbecue with an Irish flare. They also offer a variety of smoked meats and sides.
The event will be an opportunity to get out of the house and do something different.
“I’m all for getting outside and getting everybody away from computers and everything,” Gealsha said. “I liked growing up on a farm and have a lot of memories.”
Gealsha is thankful for the guidance of others in setting up the festival including Wilma Mullet of Tuscarawas Arts Partnership. Gealsha’s family and friends also will volunteer their time on Sept. 7 to ensure things go smoothly. She also would welcome other volunteers.
“They’ve been so awesome and supporting,” Gealsha said. “I’d like to thank Boltz Family Farms for letting us use their beautiful acreage.”
The goal would be to have the new festival every year and have it twice a year if it works out.
“It’s just small businesses supporting small businesses,” Gealsha said, “and in a beautiful outdoor environment that you won’t want to miss.”