Village Arts Day
June 29, 2024
11:00am ~ 4:00pm
Village Arts Day includes an Artisan Market, Live Performances, Music, and More!
A free, family-friendly day celebrating the Arts and Artists from Gloucester and around the region!
Live performances, balloon sculptures, face painting and fun tattoos, Children's paint station, storytelling, tours of Gloucester Museum of History and Edge Hill House, a community mural painting, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Artmobile. Food truck offerings include Cousins Maine Lobster, Bouncin Bouy’s, Bald Guys Pies, and Short Lane Ice Cream.
The Artisan Market will offer the public an opportunity to see and purchase products from twenty top-quality artisans, craftsmen, and boutique businesses featuring Handcrafted Jewelry, Pottery, Fiber Art, Paintings, Studio Glass, Metal Sculptures, and much more. Village Arts Day will take place between Duval Avenue and the historic Gloucester Courthouse Circle.
While on Main Street be sure to visit the local studios. Arts on Main, The Village Art Studio, The Village Blacksmith, Karyn Gallion, and York & Main showcase the work of our very own Gloucester artists!
Just the Facts!
11am - 4pm ~ Village Arts Day
Location: Main Street between Duval Avenue and Courthouse Circle
11am-4pm ~ Live Performances
11am-2pm ~ Children’s Paint Station
11am-2pm ~ Bubble Tent
1pm-3pm ~ Face Painting & Balloon Sculptor
11am-4pm ~ Community Mural Painting on Gloucester Museum of History porch
11am-4pm ~ Visits from the VFMA Art Mobile & the Chrysler Glass Studio
11am-4pm ~ Food Trucks
Artisan Market
11am - 4pm
The 2024 Artisan Market on Village Arts Day will be located in the historic Court Circle in the heart of Gloucester’s Historic Main Street. The market will showcase products by 24 top-quality artists, craftsmen, and boutique businesses including Jewelry, Pottery, Sculpture, Paintings, Prints, Baskets, Studio Glass, and more.
Live Performances
Saturday, June 29
11am - 4pm
Live performances will take place throughout the afternoon in front of the old SunTrust Bank Building. Enjoy watching local community groups from the shade of the old courtyard and marvel at the talent that abounds in the surrounding area. The Master of Ceremonies will be Travis Brazil.
11:00 am - 11:30 am ~ Bayside Youth Ballet 11:45am - 12:45pm ~ MerMan’s Comedy Variety Magic Show
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm ~ Gloucester Mathews Men's Chorus (gospel singers)
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm ~ Kmusic Studios featuring Gloucester Students 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm ~ The Liberty Dolls
Children’s Paint Station & Community Mural Painting
Paint Station
11am - 2pm
Located in front of the Gloucester Museum of History
Hosted by the talented Janet Griffin, retired Gloucester art teacher, if your children enjoy art and love to paint, this is the activity for them! All supplies are provided and children are free to express their creativity!
Mural Painting
11am until complete
Located on the porch of the Gloucester Museum of History
Help local artist, Rick Griffin, add color to finish a 4 piece mural featuring the beauty of Gloucester County.
Mer Man Comedy & Illusion Tent
Bubbles, Balloons & Face Painting
11am - 2pm ~ Bubbles
1pm - 3pm ~ Face Painting
1pm - 3pm ~ Balloon Sculpting
Located in front of the Gloucester Museum of History
Hosted by the talented folks at the Mer Man’s Comedy & Illusion Show, kids of all ages will enjoy bubbles and balloon sculpting while getting their faces painted!
VMFA on the Road Artmobile Exhibition is coming to Gloucester!
Saturday, June 29th,
11am - 4pm
Located on Main Street in front of Gloucester Realty Company
VMFA on the Road meets residents of the Commonwealth where they are, inviting them to step inside and experience authentic works of art from VMFA’s collection up close and in person. VMFA on the Road is traveling to all corners of Virginia. The stops are selected from among the museum’s Statewide Partners program, which includes 1,000 locations, from community centers and small museums to colleges and universities. They’re coming to Gloucester in June!
Edgehill House Tours
11am – 3pm
On the corner of Main Street and Rt. 14
Since the beginning of the last century, local women have maintained a credible presence in Edge Hill House. Built in 1750, as a 1-1/2 story dwelling, when farmers of the time met to exchange livestock and information, their wives gathered in this house and organized the Gloucester Woman’s Club in 1913. Subsequently, in 1920 this Club purchased the residence and continues to own it.
Located on the corner of Main Street and Route 14, the house is open for tours during Village Arts Day, visitors will enjoy learning the history of the house and current plans for preservation by the club.
Gloucester Museum of History
11am – 3pm
6539 Main Street near Courthouse Circle
The Botetourt Building, now the Gloucester Museum of History, was originally a tavern constructed in 1770. The museum’s newest exhibit opened this past February and features the Gloucester Agricultural and Industrial School. It showcases the school’s 309-pound bell cast in 1891 and includes numerous archival documents from the early 1900s. Other new exhibits include Awakening: The Life and Legacy of T.C. Walker and The Archeology of Gloucester’s Black Schools. The Gloucester Museum of History strives to engage, educate, and inspire future generations by collecting, preserving, and interpreting the diverse history, heritage, and culture of Gloucester County. The museum is located at 6539 Main Street and admission is free.
“The greatness of a culture can be found in its festivals.”
— Siddharth Katragadda