Paradise Garden, other area holiday markets opening this week

Bluegrass Christmas Party kicks off Holiday Artist Market Saturday at Howard Finster's Paradise Garden

Paradise Garden Contributed Photo / Little Country Giants is the duo of Russell and Cameron Cook. They will play at 4:30 p.m. Saturday during the Paradise Garden Holiday Artist Market.
Paradise Garden Contributed Photo / Little Country Giants is the duo of Russell and Cameron Cook. They will play at 4:30 p.m. Saturday during the Paradise Garden Holiday Artist Market.

A Bluegrass Christmas Party is scheduled Saturday, Dec. 14, at Howard Finster's Paradise Garden in Summerville, Georgia, to launch the grand opening of its Holiday Artist Market.

Between 4 and 8 p.m, visitors can enjoy complimentary snacks while shopping the artist market or the Paradise Garden Gift Shop. After dark, explore Finster's world-famous art environment lit by Christmas lights.

If you go

* What: Holiday Artist Market* Where: Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden, 200 N. Lewis St., Summerville, Georgia* When: 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14* Admission: $15 ages 13 and older, $10 senior adults, $5 students, free for Chattooga County residents* For more information: 706-808-0800

The market will feature a variety of handmade crafts and artwork, including artsy instruments made from recycled materials by Adam Sikes, home and garden decor and jewelry made by Jenny Lee and Justin Roberts, oil paintings by Donnie Davis, sculptures made from found objects by Russell Cook. There will be mixed media by Cathy Ledbetter, pillows made from neckties by Candy Davis, whimsical art by Barry Gregg and paintings by Michael-Anne Bailey, to name a few.

More Gift Markets

* Chattanooga Market’s Holiday Market: Chattanooga Convention Center, 1150 Carter St., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, free; more than 200 market vendors.* Holiday Market: Miller Plaza, Waterhouse Pavilion, 928 Market St., 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, downtown retailers selling holiday gifts, music by Center for Creative Arts Jazz Ensemble and Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences Middle School Choir.

Entertainment will begin at 4:30 p.m. with music by Little Country Giants, the songwriting duo of Russell and Cameron Cook from Rome, Georgia. They'll exchange sets with the Barbaric Yawps from Rome and Calhoun, Georgia, who play an eclectic mix of acoustic bluegrass originals and covers of Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers hits.

Following the grand opening, the market will be open 11 a.m.-5 pm. Tuesdays-Sundays until Jan. 5. The market will also stay open until 8 p.m. on Saturdays in December.

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