Faux Bridges festival on the North Shore
Festival founder David Smotherman, owner of Winder Binder Gallery and Bookstore, said the name began as a joke.
Smotherman explained that three years ago, the gallery’s Art ’til Dark art show typically fell on the same weekend as 4 Bridges.
“We kept having people ask if this was ‘the big art show’ and one of our artists joked ‘No, this is Faux Bridges.’ Michael Jenkins made a sign on a piece of cardboard, we put it on a sawhorse and people thought it was hilarious, so the name stuck,” Smotherman said.
According to Smotherman, the folks at AVA, the arts agency that produces 4 Bridges, are good sports about the knockoff.
“I was on the board of AVA; I have a good working relationship with everyone there. I’m a big supporter of 4 Bridges. In fact, we start our show a little later on Sunday because a lot of our artists like to go over and check out 4 Bridges before they come here,” he said.
Just like 4 Bridges is in an open-air pavilion, Faux Bridges is open-air as well — it’s in a parking lot near the Walnut Street Bridge.
Saturday and Sunday’s shows will feature the work of 20 artists. Smotherman describes the variety as “a mini version of 4 Bridges” with folk art, potters, textiles, glass, jewelry (including work by Christina Glidden) and wood items made by Mike Elder of Dunlap, Tenn.
If You Go
What: Faux Bridges Festival
When: Noon-7 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Parking lot at the end of the Walnut Street Bridge beside Frazier Avenue.
Admission: Free.
