PRESS RELEASE: For Immediate Release

Paradise City Arts Festival
Three County Fairgrounds | Northampton, MA
May 24-26, Memorial Day Weekend

The art event you’ve been waiting for is here! Spend your Memorial Day weekend at New England’s premier show of contemporary craft & fine art; featuring handmade home decor, sculpture, fashion, jewelry, and more.

We’ve assembled 200 expertly curated artists & makers from across the country. Check out our special exhibit “Feathers & Fur,” which explores how artists derive inspiration from the Animal Kingdom. Our festivals are known for their diverse and lively atmosphere—offering a weekend of live music, tasty local eats, and a calendar of activities for the whole family to enjoy!

Demonstrations & Activities

As you walk the show, you’ll often come across an artist weaving a textile, sketching out a concept for commission, or sizing clothing for a client. At Paradise City Arts, not only do you have an opportunity to meet the makers and discuss their work, but there is always a glimpse of the technique and the inspiration behind each piece. 

Hot tip: Want to see the magic of pastels in action? Marlene Rye will be doing a live demo over the course of the weekend. Come by and see her complete a custom piece, start to finish, in Booth 121!

Crafting with Color: Hosting fun and creative activities for all ages! Parents & kiddos—get hands on, spark your creativity, and make memories together in Building 1.

Play with Clay: Roll up your sleeves and explore the world of clay with Alan & Rosemary Bennett. Hand-sculpt your favorite marine creature or imaginary critter from stoneware or porcelain. A spellbinding teacher, Bennett especially loves working with children, but all ages can exercise their creativity with clay. Building 3.

The Dining Tent

Rest your feet under our 12,000 square foot Festival Dining Tent. Discover a fresh music lineup each day and a variety of dining options from Northampton’s vibrant restaurant & food truck scene. 

This holiday weekend Paradise City Arts presents original music, jazz, blues, and rock by three of the region’s favorite bands, from noon – 4pm Saturday & Sunday and 11:30am – 3:30pm Monday.

• Saturday, May 24: The Green Street Trio: New York born vocalist Avery Joi, George Kaye on bass, Paul Arslanian on piano, and Jon Fisher on drums show off their jazz chops with style and verve.
• Sunday, May 25: Buddy McEarns Band: Blue Roots Rock n’ Roll. The blues rock style here is infectiously enjoyable. The easy comparison is the Allman Brothers Band, and we’re glad to hear someone is keeping this musical tradition alive.
• Monday, May 26: Le Fever: A guitar based duo of songwriters, Dawn Lepere and Jeff Starns, bring rich vocals, rhythm & fingerstyle guitar work to their songwriting styles ranging from alt-blues to indie rock. They perform as a duo, or with their very talented friends as a trio or full band.

Enjoy a beverage from the Craft Cocktail Bar and sample menus that span the globe. From all-American burgers & fries to southeast Asian street food, you can sip and graze your way through the weekend. 

Benefit Silent Art Auction 

Bienvenido! 歡迎! Willkommen! Welcome! Our Silent Art Auction benefits the International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI). This organization provides free English classes for new arrivals from all over the world so they can successfully integrate into the local community. An array of donations by Paradise City Arts exhibitors will be available for open bidding each day at the Silent Auction Tables, with 100% of the proceeds directly supporting ILI programming. Building 3.

Enter to Win a Shopping Spree!

There’s always a winner, and it could be you. Visitors may stop by the shopping spree tables at any time during the show to place their entry for a drawing in one of the big baskets. The winner will receive a gift certificate for a $250 shopping spree that may be redeemed at an exhibitor’s booth at any Paradise City Arts Festival over the next year.

Paradise is Closer Than You Think

Situated on Interstate-91 and only 15 minutes north of the Massachusetts Turnpike, Northampton is less than an hour drive from Hartford, the Berkshires, and southern Vermont. We are under two hours from Boston, Albany and southern Connecticut and less than three hours from New York City. Enjoy free parking at the Three County Fairgrounds while you attend.