Saturday, October 12, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday, October 13, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Monday, October 14, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Good weather means a huge crowd when it comes to the annual Scituate Art Festival, in North Scituate, RI. The crowd size is what leads to greater food profits, enabling funding scholarships and other helping hand projects that are based in Scituate. It also means greater numbers of festival-goers, who will purchase raffle tickets, original artwork and craft items on display, as well as the numerous antiques which are spread throughout the Village Green, and these sales make for satisfied artists and dealers, who will then return next year to sell their work.
Grants are generated from artist application fees, a raffle, and from a percentage of food sold by nonprofits. After festival expenses, the generated profit goes to support community organizations, like the Scituate Health Alliance, the Scituate Scholarship Foundation, and the Scituate Food Pantry.
The massive three-day event takes place every year, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, during the long Columbus Day Weekend, in and around the Village Green, on Route 116.
At the centerpiece of the festival is the structure which quietly inspired the event to first begin, back in 1967: The 1831 Scituate Congregational Church is set back from the corner of Silk Lane and Route 116, amongst war memorials out front and a cemetery in back. But lacking regular and consistent church services for several decades, and a dedicated guardian, the church was showing its age back in the 1960s.
Local citizens and artists were going to ensure that the church, an important landmark, did not fall apart. To maintain the church, the community took charge to raise money through an art festival, starting out with a dozen artists and a food vendor or two, which grew into today’s combination of more than 200 artists, crafts people, and antique dealers, who show and sell their work over the Columbus Day Weekend in October.
Profits in the past four decades have amounted to thousands of dollars in support for town groups and projects each year, not the least of which is the continued restoration of the 1831 church, which is often rented for various events, as it offers a picture postcard backdrop to the center of town.
The estimated 100,000 people descend upon a usually quiet North Scituate Center each October to enjoy all that the Festival has to offer. Aside from providing an autumn destination for area residents, it’s a perfect time to also visit a local apple orchard to pick apples, buy a pumpkin, or maybe a fresh and delicious homemade pie.
This year marks the 58th year, when over 100,000 visitors will browse and buy original fine art, handmade crafts and antiques, in an open-air market at the Scituate Art Festival.
Stroll up and down the Village Green, and enjoy the vast assortment of tasty treats, or visit the food court to sit down to indulge in whatever you’re craving, from one or more of the many food trucks.
Take a chance with the raffle, which offers items generously donated by the exhibitors!
Bring the entire family to enjoy live musical entertainment, as you make this special, favorite Festival an annual tradition!
Here are some of the delightful & delicious food choices, along with their vendors:
- Potterville Fire Department: Apple Dumplings w/ or w/o Nuts & Caramel, Soda, Coffee
- Shepherd Of The Valley: Willow Tree Chicken Salad Wraps, Pulled Pork, Pumpkin Pie, Iced Tea, Soda
- Scituate High School Music: Hot Wieners, Chips, Soda, Coffee and Hot Chocolate
- Rotary Club: Doughboys, Clam Chowder, Chicken Nuggets, French Fries, Coffee, Tea
- Scituate Boosters: Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Nachos with Cheese, French Fries, Fried Oreos, Sundaes, Root Beer Floats, Apple Pie, Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Soda, Water
- Scituate Lions: Sausage & Pepper Sandwiches, Breakfast Sandwiches, Cold Drinks, Frozen Lemonade
- Boy Scout Troop 2: Meatball Sandwiches, Pancakes, Hot Cider, Cold Drinks
- Scituate Preservation Society: Chicken Fajitas, Caesar Wraps, Steak Fries, Pies, Soda, Water, Coffee
- Hope Jackson Fire Department: Steak Sandwiches, Cold Drinks
- Boy Scout Troop 102: Kettle Corn, Pretzels, Baked Potatoes, Grilled Cheese, Apple Cider, Water, Soda
- Boy Scout Troop 1: BBQ Ribs, Smoked Chicken, Corn On The Cob, Soda, Water
Sharing My Special Festival Memories
My husband and I have such heartwarming memories from years back, when along with several other friends & family members, we would take all of our children to the Scituate Art Festival each year.
We all knew that getting there early was the key in order to secure the closest parking spot, as vehicles were lined long and far up and down Route 116. As soon as we got the kiddies in the strollers and headed onto the Village Green, we would immediately feel the excitement of seeing all of the artists and vendors, and of course, made several purchases that were unique and special. The center of our day was choosing what to eat, which always ended up being many different selections from the amazing variety of choices.
The apple dumpling with caramel sauce dripping down the sides was my favorite sweet, and was well worth waiting for in the long line. All of the kids’ eyes would light up at the sight of the candy apples and other endless treats. We always ended up at the food court to sample from the variety of Little Rhody classic favorites, and would take that time to sit at one of the many picnic tables & just enjoy being all together.
Our children have now grown, yet the Scituate Art Festival continues to be an annual favorite destination for me and my husband. Now, however, we are no longer pushing the kids in strollers, we are walking alongside them, as we hope when they have children, to share this fall tradition of strolling up and down the Valley Green, with yet another generation.
