The Bella Vista Arts & Crafts Festival was organized in 1969 by a  small group of members of the non-profit Village Art Club, Inc.  Its original purpose was to give members a place to show and sell their  works. 

For many years the Festival was held in the Blowing Springs Park area of Bella Vista.  And it was a beautiful site.  From an initial 25 exhibitors in Blowing Springs, the Festival has grown into a major Fall event with about 300 exhibitors. 

With the move to its present  site in 1996, the Festival was given the chance to grow.  Attendance, too, seems to grow every year, with an average of 28-30,000 visitors.  Many visitors return every year, both to purchase the high quality original works offered, but also to renew old friendships and see what's new.  The Festival is fully organized and run by volunteers, both from the VAC and from the community. 

The Festival is sponsored by the non-profit Village Art Club, Inc., and all profits from the Festival go into the Club to support its various activities. In addition to financial support of the Club, funds also go to the Club's scholarship fund, support of The Studio where classes and workshops are offered year 'round for anyone interested, and support of both the Wishing Spring Gallery and Gallery West.  

Some of the profits go back into the community through honoraria to the many local organizations that provide assistance during the Festival.

The 39th Annual Bella Vista Arts & Crafts Festival will be held October 18-20, 2007.  The volunteer staff is already actively working on making this year one of the best festivals ever. 

Applications from last year's exhibitors have been accepted, and new applications are coming in and are being readied for jurying. The jury consists of five or six members of the VAC who are called upon to view the applications and vote on their approval.  Approvals are sent out as soon as possible after each jury session.  Non-accepted applications are contacted and their fees returned. 

There is space for approximately 300 exhibitors (give or take a few) at the Festival site.  We also have space for 14 food vendors.  Returning for the third year will be the Fine Arts Market tent, an invitation-only venue that is for fine arts exhibitors to show their wares, and possibly demonstrate their art technique.  There are even some of the artists and crafters in other location of the Festival who demonstrate how their items are made.  Festival visitors love to watch and talk with the exhibitors who demonstrate the way they create their unique goods.  The See 'n' Sample tent is always a popular place.  Here, vendors give samples of their food items so visitors will know what they can do with the pre-packaged mixes.  

The Festival has altered the layout of the 200 Area of individual tents, giving exhibitors the option of paying a bit more for Premium Space that is 24-feet wide and 12-feet deep to display their goods.  Normal size for outside spaces is 12 feet wide and 24 feet deep.  The Premium Space has aisles that are a bit wider for visitors to wander through. 

Plans are underway to have a Talent Contest for our musical entertainment. Individuals and groups of up to four members may be featured on the Sound Stage on Thursday and Friday, with judges picking the entertainers to return for the Final Round on Saturday.  The top winners will receive cash awards. 

The Fourth Annual Youth Art Fest gives talented young artists in grades nine and up a chance to show their artistic skills and compete for cash awards in visual arts.  The ever-popular Children's Tent features an enclosed and secure space for very young visitors to make a variety of art projects while Mom and the family shop.  Donations are accepted for Children's Tent, with proceeds going to a local charity.  Last year's Children's Tent collection was donated to the Benton County Women’s Shelter Children’s Program. 

As always, there will be tractor-pulled trams to help Festival-goers get to and from the parking area and the Festival tents.  Parking and tram rides are free, as is admission to the Festival.

There have been many rumors in the past few years that the Bella Vista Festival was going to either move, or shut down, or find another location. 

Well, the Festival and VAC have been looking for years for an alternate location, just in case.  The property where the Festival is held is owned by Cooper Communities, and is for sale.  Always has been for sale.  The Community Development Corporation has wanted to put senior housing on the area, which is adjacent to where they have been building for the past three years.  The CDC has first right of refusal to any purchase of the property.  And now that Bella Vista is an incorporated town, the likelihood that the property might be used for another purpose has increased.

However, both Cooper and the CDC have told us that we can use the land until something else comes up.  Yes, the VAC is still looking for another site, but not for 2007!  We will still be right where we have been.

Y'all come see what a great Festival site it is.