Riverfront Arts Fair Has Long History, Yet Welcomes Newcomers

Yes, the has a half-century of success under its belt. But it welcomes newcomers into the fold, too.

Take, for instance, Kathy Melton of Sarona, WI, which is about 150 northeast of Northfield. She and her husband, Frank, produce jewelry from handmade glass beads she creates in a Plexiglas and wood booth next to their exhibit tent.

The Meltons are displaying and selling their goods at the -sponsored festival for the first time this year.

“We do a lot of fairs in northern Minnesota,” said Kathy Melton, as she took a break from molding pea-sized glass balls over a table-mounted propane torch Saturday morning. “We don’t usually get down this way.”

The Meltons applied for inclusion in the Riverfront Arts Festival—conducted the same week as for nearly all of its 50-year run—after seeing it featured in Midwest Arts Fairs magazine this spring.

They are among 15 new artists—and 65 exhibitors in all—taking part in this year’s festival, which opened Saturday (closed at 5 p.m.) and runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Meltons have been selling their glass bead jewelry—earrings, bracelets and necklaces—at art festivals for about 25 years, mainly during the summer. Since 2000, Kathy Melton has made all of the glass balls they use in their production process.

“I started making them after a three-hour class,” she said. “But I can tell you, what I made in that class doesn’t look like what I do now.”

Ty Newland of Montgomery is a nine-year veteran of the Riverfront Art Festival. He makes wood furniture under his company name Northern Log Works by Ty, which will be changing to TC Cabin Accents soon.

“I like coming down here a lot,” said Newland, who takes his handcrafted beds, tables, dressers and mirrors to a handful of festivals in southeastern Minnesota each year. “People like looking at what I bring, and I like showing it.”

Although Newland’s display has become a fixture at the air fair, it has moved this year. The display still is behind on the west side of the Cannon River, but it now under a couple of trees near the Third Street pedestrian bridge.

Newland said the move works out fine for him.

“Now that you mention it, the trees really go well with the furniture,” he said. “And the shade is nice, too.”

WANT TO GO?
WHERE: Along the Cannon River's riverwalk and nearby businesses
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday