The Paradise Garden Foundation will present the 6th annual Outsider Art Trail Tour on Saturday, June 17th from 10 am to 7 pm.
Tina Cox, Executive Director of the Foundation, enthuses that the tour will feature a couple of stops in Rome and, of course, Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden in Summerville.
According to a release from the Paradise Garden Foundation:
The Outsider Art Trail Tour will offer an enjoyable road trip to help you discover outsider art gems, attractions, good eats, and more! Wander down some rural byways and celebrate summer amid the lush greenery of Northwest Georgia.
This year’s stops include…
● Trade Day, a giant flea market, or “picker’s paradise,” located just
outside downtown Summerville. It’s been a beloved Chattooga County
staple since 1976. Get an early start at 7 am, grab a corndog, and find
your own Trade Day score! (7 am – 12 pm)
● Two one-of-a-kind art environments – Howard Finster’s historic 4-acre
art environment Paradise Garden in Summerville (10 am – 5 pm) and The
Rock Garden in Calhoun, which features more than 50 diminutive buildings
and historic landmarks built in miniature, and nestled behind the
Seventh Day Adventist Church. (9 am – dark)
● Two Summerville galleries perfect for collectors – Folk America
Gallery, a must-see for folk art collectors, and Finster Picture
Framing, a frame shop/gallery owned and operated by Howard Finster’s
daughter and granddaughter. (10 am – 5 pm)
● Take a break to grab lunch on the patio at Jefferson’s, or grab a
refreshing smoothie or coffee from Dirt Pour, located downtown in Dirt
Design and Decor. (11 am – 8 pm)
● Head a half an hour down the road to Rome, GA, for an afternoon folk
angel craft-making activity at Cecil T’s Mercantile with Sherry Cook of
Noonan, GA, and shopping (11 am – 8 pm).
● Conclude the Outsider Art Trail at Kingfisher Art Co. for the closing
reception for the exhibit, “Fine Folk & Americana” featuring the artwork
of Jim Shores, Dereck Van Wickel, and works from private collections.
Open from 12-7 pm, the Gallery will also host free artmaking activities,
a cash bar, and live music from 4-7 pm.
The Outsider Art Trail Tour is a self-guided, dog-friendly event
designed to be a day of discovery. The tour is included in Paradise
Garden admission: $15 for adults, $10 for seniors (59+), $5 for
students, & children 12 & under are free. Donations are also appreciated
at The Rock Garden.
Earn stamps on your Outsider Art Trail Tour “Passport” for each stop.
Complete your passport and qualify for a drawing for an overnight stay
in one of Paradise Garden’s Airbnbs. Drop off your passport at
Kingfisher Art Co. for the drawing.
Download your map, brochure, and passport on Paradise Garden’s website
here: https://paradisegardenfoundation.org/outsider-art-tour/. You may
also pick up a passport at Paradise Garden on the day of the Tour.
For questions, please call Paradise Garden (706-808-0800) or email
