219 Crafters Set to Show at 49th Annual Aiken’s Makin’ Festival, Sept. 5-6

Downtown Aiken will buzz with activity as the 49th Aiken's Makin' craft festival opens its doors. The event brings 219 skilled makers and two dozen food sellers to the streets on Sept. 5-6. New vendors make up a third of this year's lineup.

The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. While many artists call Aiken County home, others travel from as far as Arizona and Pennsylvania to share their work. The Chamber of Commerce picked vendors from nine states, including Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee.

"It's free. Everybody can get in," painter Pornnapa von Buedingen told The Post and Courier. She'll offer her paintings, holiday decorations, and cards to festival guests.

Amanda Hendren splits her time between the skies as a flight attendant and crafting at Rockin H Wood Design. "I think it's great, because you get to have local vendors that don't have shops or don't have storefronts. They can come out and show their work. They're supporting local people," Hendren said.

Since its start in 1976, the festival has brought art to Aiken's streets each year. Only once did it pause — in 2020 when COVID-19 struck. Now it's back, marking September's calendar as a must-attend event.

The festival will change traffic patterns in town. Most of Park Avenue and nearby streets will be closed to traffic, which will turn into walking paths for the event.