Plenty to see at the 19th Artisans’ Festival at the Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

We have attended the Artisan’s Festival at the Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens in the past  were very impressed by the range of artisans which presented their wares in a relaxing woodland setting. We attended on Sunday, Sept 5 and there are over 50 exhibitors featuring  pottery to paintings to wood work and everything in between so there is alot to choose from. The exhibitors tend to be mostly located in small open meadows which is ideal given that Covid 19 still needs to be safeguarded against (see photo below).  But it is a sign that life is slowly returning to normal when we have events like this that are open to the general public. Many people wore masks but since you can be outside for just about all of the artist’s displays they aren’t mandatory.   

 

From the map we could see that there are many trails that wind through the forest and so we will have to return for another visit to fully explore the gardens. We did take one side trail to the labyrinth which is a special spot worth investigating. Be sure to ring the large wind chime before you start your walk labyrinth.  We also appreciated the musicians who were playing music along the way and each day of the festival there are different people playing at the different venues.  The festival runs from Saturday, September 4 to Monday, September 6.  The event is pet friendly and there is an ATM and food trucks on site.  The 24 acre Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens offers a tranquil setting to enjoy nature and this weekend there is an added bonus of the artisans’ festival.  We are looking forward on coming back to see the gardens when the rhododendrons are in full bloom since they have one of the largest collections of rhodos on the Island.  The gardens are located about 15 minutes north of Courtenay off the North Island Highway. For more information see:  http://woodlandgardens.ca/ 

                                            Some visitors having a look at the pottery of Rainforest Pottery