St. James Court Art Show
Encyclopedia
The St. James Court Art Show, colloquially called the St. James Art Fair, or just St. James, is a popular free public outdoor annual arts and crafts show held since 1957 in the Old Louisville
neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky
, in the St. James-Belgravia Historic District
. Mostly situated to the south of Central Park
, the show is normally held on the first weekend in October, and includes more than 700 artisan
s from various locations throughout the Americas. The show draws nearly 300,000 people, one-third from out of state, each year. The show is put together by a group of various neighborhood associations in Old Louisville.
The art and item selection at the show runs from the mundane to the sublime, and the inexpensive to the very expensive. Booths featuring such items as furniture, pottery, jewelry, glassworks, photography and paintings are lined up on streets and sidewalks with ample walk spaces between them to handle large crowds. Booths with the highest showcase quality are situated on St. James Court, Belgravia Court and Magnolia Avenue, while booths on Fourth and Third Streets tend to purvey more consumer-oriented artistic items. The 19th century mansion Conrad-Caldwell House, on St. James Court, is open for tours during the show.
In addition to the various items for sale, the show attracts various state and local politicians, charities, churches, radio
stations and publishers who take the opportunity to promote themselves to the public.
The event is sponsored by various corporate donors. There are various awards given out for "Best of Show," "People's Choice," the poster contest and several scholarships. The show has been ranked #1 in the nation by Sunshine Artist Magazine.
Old Louisville
Old Louisville is a historic district and neighborhood in central Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It is the third largest such district in the United States, and the largest preservation district featuring almost entirely Victorian architecture...
neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, in the St. James-Belgravia Historic District
St. James-Belgravia Historic District
The St. James-Belgravia Historic District, within Old Louisville, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It comprises St. James Court and the Belgravia Court . It was the site of the Southern Exposition, and is bordered to the north by the scenic Central Park, a popular...
. Mostly situated to the south of Central Park
Central Park, Louisville
Central Park is a municipal park maintained by the city of Louisville, Kentucky. Located in the Old Louisville neighborhood, it was first developed for public use in the 1870s and referred to as "DuPont Square" since it was at that time part of the Du Pont family estate.During the Southern...
, the show is normally held on the first weekend in October, and includes more than 700 artisan
Artisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
s from various locations throughout the Americas. The show draws nearly 300,000 people, one-third from out of state, each year. The show is put together by a group of various neighborhood associations in Old Louisville.
The art and item selection at the show runs from the mundane to the sublime, and the inexpensive to the very expensive. Booths featuring such items as furniture, pottery, jewelry, glassworks, photography and paintings are lined up on streets and sidewalks with ample walk spaces between them to handle large crowds. Booths with the highest showcase quality are situated on St. James Court, Belgravia Court and Magnolia Avenue, while booths on Fourth and Third Streets tend to purvey more consumer-oriented artistic items. The 19th century mansion Conrad-Caldwell House, on St. James Court, is open for tours during the show.
In addition to the various items for sale, the show attracts various state and local politicians, charities, churches, radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
stations and publishers who take the opportunity to promote themselves to the public.
See also
- List of attractions and events in Louisville, Kentucky
- Southern ExpositionSouthern ExpositionThe Southern Exposition was a five-year series of World's Fairs held in the city of Louisville, Kentucky from 1883 to 1887 in what is now Louisville's Old Louisville neighborhood. The exposition, held for 100 days each year on immediately south of Central Park, which is now the St....