PUTNEY — The Putney Craft Tour invites visitors to meet the 23 makers on this year's tour, which will include blacksmiths, glass blowers, potters, jewelers, weavers, woodworkers, and even artisan cheesemakers.
The oldest continuing craft studio tour in North America takes place on the long Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 27, 28 and 29, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For the last two years, the Putney Craft Tour, Next Stage Arts Project, and Sandglass Theatre have joined forces to present and publicize a special Thanksgiving Weekend of Arts. This year, the weekend will be celebrated as “Putney Craft Tour's Craft, Food and Stage Weekend.”
Participating restaurants include Burdick's Chocolate in Walpole, N.H.; Popolo in Bellows Falls; the Gleanery in Putney, the Putney General Store; J.D. McCliments Pub in Putney; Katy's Great Food in Putney; Putney Food Co-op; the Saxtons River Inn, and the Putney Diner.
The local community, tour goers, and tourists are invited to celebrate the love of food in addition to the love of cultural activities during Putney Craft Tour's Craft, Food and Stage Weekend.
In addition, the tour will be helping to raise funds for the Putney Foodshelf for the second year.
“The Putney Craft Tour is more than a once a year event. Many of the studios are open year-round, some by appointment, and the tour wants to be a resource for the community in ways that it can,” said Nancy Calicchio, artist on the tour who spearheaded the collaboration with the Putney Foodshelf.
“Using our art to support our neighbors and young people in need is a way for us to give something back,” she added.
Each studio on the Putney Craft Tour will showcase an object for sale whose proceeds will go to the Foodshelf.
Ken Pick, one of the founders of the Putney Craft Tour 37 years ago, said the impetus for the original collaboration grew out of economic pressure and the changes in the economy.
“The opportunity to create a bigger and better weekend to draw more people had a positive impact on our respective organizations last year,” said Pick. “We're looking for the same, and more, for this year.”