10th Annual Cowee Christmas

PRESS RELEASE (11-13-2024)

COWEE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND HERITAGE

On December 7, 2024, the 10th Annual Cowee Christmas will be held at Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center at 51 Cowee School Drive. Beginning at 10 a.m.and running until 3 p.m., families and shoppers will be able to enjoy activities and vendors inside the school.

This annual event began as free holiday crafts for children and was held at the Rec Park over twenty years ago. It moved to the Cooperative Extension and then to the Rickman Store. It quickly outgrew the space at the store and was moved to Cowee School according to Claire Suminski who has been the driving force behind the event. The school gave a lot of space in the auditorium for children’s crafts and then room throughout the school to add local craftsmen. “We are grateful to Winding Stair Farm and Kelly Penland with Bald Head Realty for their sponsorship of this event. It is a great time for families and friends to enjoy the festivities of the season all under one roof,” commented Suminski.

“There is an army of volunteers who make Cowee Christmas possible and successful”, said Laura Brooks, executive director of the school. “We have our regular volunteers who help throughout the year and then Job Corps and special Cowee Christmas volunteers who love participating in the fun.”

The children’s activities include evergreen swag making, cookie decorating, face painting and other holiday related fun. There will be a visit from Santa Claus at 11:00 He will be escorted by the Cowee Volunteer Fire Department and the Dance Arts Co-Op “elves” will be on hand to liven up the spirits of everyone involved.

This year 39 local vendors will be on site. There will be a broad range of items for sale including wood crafts, pottery, jewelry, crochet, homemade breads, miniature houses and Appalachian art. Many have participated in the past years and there will be some new faces this year. Laura Craig with Shade Tree Farms has been a vendor for over five years. “I keep coming back because I love the welcoming atmosphere and that is is family oriented,” said Craig.

The school has five full time resident artists and their studios will be open as well. This includes Alarka Expeditions, Carol Conti Studio, Carolina Artsworks, Cowee Textiles, and the Cowee Pottery School. The Smoky Mountain Quilters Guild will be displaying over 20 locally made quilts in the main hallway. The guild will also be selling different fabric arts.

Another fun tradition is the Balsam Bee going on its seventh year. Upon entering the school, you are greeted by the aroma of Frasier Fir swags and these pillows filled with ground and sifted needles from balsam trees. A hand drawn design by local artist Dennis Deitz is on the pillow.

This year's pillow design will feature an owl and is sponsored by Smoky Sew Company. To honor the heritage of our community, Nancy Pheasant, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee, will be on hand for storytelling. Her stories are entertaining and include life lessons through her wonderful way with words. Children and adults will be captivated by the retelling of ancient stories.

Also throughout the day local musicians will perform on the stage in the auditorium and then will move around in the school. “We are so excited to have Wyatt Duvall, Lady and the Tramps, The White Sisters and Richard Tichich and Ann Lauder providing entertainment for our shoppers,” commented Suminski.

Shopping and crafts can work up an appetite and Chef Donnie Bishop will be back with his hot soup lunch. The ”Frasier Fir Cafe’” will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Three soups will be served including a vegan vegetable option. Cost of the lunch will be $10 per person. Brooks suggests following Cowee School on Facebook and Instagram to get more information on the vendors and the event schedule. “We don’t want anyone missing Santa Claus!” The Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center is a non-profit organization. The center is open for ongoing classes with the resident artists, concerts, speaker series and other events. Cowee Christmas is the largest event for the school. It is located at 51 Cowee School Drive right off the Bryson City Road.

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Published at 1.51pm on Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Author: Bobby Coggins