Yellow Daisy Festival's 40th incarnation proves crafty, sugary, fun

The annual Yellow Daisy Festival at Stone Mountain Park is far and away one of my favorite events in Atlanta. Held for four days every September, the festival has come to be known for it’s vast array of artist booths, southern touched entertainment and fair-like grub.

Although I was sad to miss opening day Sept. 4 (Jimmy Buffet tribute band A1A played!), I was equally happy making an appearance on Saturday, buzzing between crowds so thick you had no choice but to stop at nearly every one of the 500 booths.

After being distracted momentarily by a group of teenage girls clogging on a small stage near the entrance to the wooded festival, I finally made my way through to the booths. Like Atlanta’s Summer Shade and Dogwood festivals, booths at the Daisy fest range from painters to knitters to jewelry makers and everything crafty in between. Favorites this go around included paintings from The Doodle Store and mixed media artist Karey Walter. Even my dog cleaned up; I got him an awesome collar from Petnecks. There were also countless cute-as-a-button kids’ presentations where certain booths taught children (and me, apparently) how to make simple crafts like a puppet out of a paper bag. If I told you I didn’t try it out as soon as I got home, I’d be lying.

After listening to some oldies tunes from the M&M Band and halfway through my arts and crafts shopping spree, I decided it was time for a little funnel cake and bluegrass. Vortex Park The Corduroy Road and then took the stage as hundreds of little old ladies and dads and daughters swayed in the grass. Feeling a little weighed down from my sugar bread rush, I hung around long enough to catch some of southern rocker Andrew Black’s set before forcing myself to skip the trolley and actually walk back to the car.

All in all, a perfect Southern Saturday.

Related links:
Yellow Daisy Festival on StoneMountainPark.com
Grant Park Summer Shade Fest takes the "labor" out of Labor Day Weekend
Book Festival brings music, art, beer and, oh yeah, books to Decatur