The deadline for accepting deadlines for the 2011 Foothills Craft Fair to be held in conjunction with the Blue Ridge Barbecue & Music Festival has been extended to Friday, April 29, according to craft chair Laura Linz. Notifications for acceptance will be announced no later than Friday, May 6. Linz stressed that the later notification date also applies to those who have already submitted applications.

“We are encouraging area crafters to get their applications in as soon as possible, as space is limited,” said Linz. “They can download an application on our website, BlueRidgeBBQFestival.com; stop by the Festival Office at the Chamber of Commerce Building, 2753 Lynn Road in Tryon; or call the BBQ Office at 828-859-7427 and ask for one by mail. All the details are included on the application.”

The 2011 Blue Ridge Barbecue & Music Festival will be held on Friday and Saturday, June 10 and 11 at Harmon Field in Tryon, and the Foothills Crafts Fair operates right in the middle of it. It is a juried fine arts and crafts show that has enjoyed a reputation for the range and quality of items for sale. The show includes nothing manufactured or imported.

The festival often boasts an annual attendance of 15,000 to 20,000, and many guests say they come back year after year looking forward to shopping the Foothills Crafts Fair. They say they enjoy watching the crafts fair artisans who demonstrate their skills – and the artisans who do say they have found they sell more when the people are engaged.

The festival is conducted annually under the auspices of the Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce. Proceeds from the festival help support chamber operations and additional proceeds go to the Carolina Foothills Chamber Foundation to be returned to the community through distributions to a variety of charitable and civic programs and projects throughout the county. Funds are generated by a modest admission fee, contestant entry fees and sponsorships.

For further information, call the festival office at 828-859-RIBS (7427) or visit BlueRidgeBBQFestival.com.