ClydeFEST 2010 was a Huge Hit
Big, BIG Thanks to everyone who helped make the 9th Annual ClydeFEST such a huge success! Chatham Arts and Team ClydeFEST send a “gi-normous” shout-out to all of our Participants, Entertainers, Volunteers, and the Good Folks of Bynum who shared their magical neighborhood with us. We had hoped for 750 visitors and ended up with about 1100 happy, laughing, smiling faces to help us honor our friend Clyde, making it indeed the “Best-FEST” yet.
We look forward to seeing you all back again next year for a very special 10th annual ClydeFEST!
PS– We still have a handful of children’s size ClydeFEST t-shirts available for sale at Pittsboro Toys. Stop by and pick some up!
Welcome to ChathamArts Official ClydeFEST 2010!
The 9th Annual ClydeFEST, to be held on Saturday April
17th 2010 at the Bynum Ball Field, is ChathamArts’s
premier spring event. (There’s a rain date of April 18, from
1-5, but it wouldn’t dare rain!) The festival brings kids,
young and old, together to celebrate the life and work of the world-renowned
Outsider Folk Artist and Critter Master Clyde Jones of Bynum, NC. For
many years Clyde has charmed and delighted his many admirers from all
over the world as he unleashes his fantastic “Critters” from
cedar logs using only his trusty chainsaw, a few big nails and the odd
plastic flower or old shoe. ClydeFEST is ChathamArts’ big chance
to expand on Clyde’s motto, “It’s all about the children”,
by creating a wholesome family fun day that features clever games, whimsical
art, yummy eats, and good time music and entertainment.

Last
year’s 8th Annual ClydeFEST was by many
regarded as our “Best-FEST” yet. It was chuck
full of all manner of fun and games and entertainment and good food and
the over 500 visitors from all over the great state of North Carolina
and beyond would be happy to tell ya just that.

Now
getting on to the 9th Annual ClydeFEST 2010 we’re
real pleased to tell ya that it’s shaping up to be a real humdinger.
Again there’ll be all them wonderful handmade, homespun ClydeFEST
games like Critter Toss, Mailbox Madness, and the Tire Patch. And
as always in Critterville, the kids will get to have tons of fun painting
and glittering Clyde’s Critter Cut-Outs.
On
the Big Stage we’ve got a truly amazing line-up of performers including
Tommy Edwards and Friends, Happy Dan the Magic Man, NC Girls Rock’s
singing sensation Nyssa, Cole Park, The Northwood Jazz Band and Sandbox.
You should also know that there’s a mess of other fun stuff going
on including Storytelling in the Small Tent, Ubi the Clown, Karen the Hula
Hoop Queen, Face Painting, Pony Rides, a Drum Circle with Matt Vooris, Mr.
Jones’ Tattoo Parlour, and a student art exhibit, ‘Over The
Fence’.
‘Course
we gotta get to bending yer ear some about our Extra Special Guests like
Folk Artist Peter Loose and his family who once again will make the trip
from Hull, Georgia in the Clyde-Mobile, with their rare African Tortoises
in tow. And then there’s Scott Blackwell, founder of the Folk
Artists’ Foundation and the Immaculate
Baking Company of Flat Rock,
NC, who’s gonna bring his mobile bakery to the Bynum Ball Field so
that the kids could decorate and bake their own Critter-shaped cookies.

Then
when it comes to yummy eats we’ll have fabulous food from the BBQ
Joint, Chatham Marketplace, Barney’s Hot Dogs and joining us this
year for the first time is the Magical Liberacion Juice Bus. Also on
the seen will be Local Non-Profits like Bynum Community Garden, Friends
of the Pittsboro Memorial Library, Heads–Up & Cant-r, and the
Haw River Assembly who will provide fun edu-activities.

OH! And
we can’t
forget to mention Clyde Jones, the Critter Master himself, will create
outta cedar with his own two hands…and
well a chainsaw…and, uhm, some nails and some other bits… one
of his World Famous Critters, right before your very eyes! Then a live
auction for that very same Critter will be led by none other than The Mayor
of Pittsboro, Randy Voller.
So
okay then there ya go that’s the skinny on this year’s ClydeFEST.
Tell all your friends, pack up the kids and come on down for a Super
Family Fun Day! We can’t wait to see ya!
About Clyde

by York WIlson
In case you’ve been wondering what Clyde keeps himself busy with other than ClydeFEST, here’s a quick recap of some of the fun he’s had this year. Our famous friend has been on the road a lot! He’s been to the Fearrington Folk Art Show in February, the Ocracoke Festival in the summer, Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, and starred in yet another documentary. He delivered several new pieces to the permanent collection at American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore and he even made a star appearance in New York City!

photo courtesy Bergdorf Goodman
That’s right, folks, Clyde had his very own display window at NY’s most elegant and exclusive store, Bergdorf Goodman (or, as Clyde likes to call it, “Birddog’s”) on Fifth Avenue. Right there with an enormous Divine in one window and the giant pink poodle, Fifi, in the main entrance, Clyde’s critters stopped all sidewalk traffic as part of the American Visionary Arts Museum’s summer blockbuster show in the Big City. It was indeed a fabulous site the likes of which NYC has never seen!
When Clyde is home in Bynum he’s always entertaining friends – school groups and art collectors alike - so feel free to stop in and say hello!
Articles, Photos, and Video Links
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http://vimeo.com/8196961 NEW video! Clyde Jones Documentary Preview from Khang Mai on Vimeo. |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86IEJvdEmac - "Clyde and Mikhail", from Chatham County filmmaker Linda Booker. |
| http://www.wral.com/lifestyles/travel/video/2782269/ Great video piece about Clyde preceding CF 2008 |
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http://www.pbase.com/scottsimages/clydefest Real fine slide show featuring images from ClydeFEST 2008 |
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXKPuR7I7v8 Wonderful video from the 7th Annual ClydeFEST held in Bynum, NC on the 26th of April 2008 |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgfFavd_WYs Video of Clyde making a Critter to be auctioned off at ClydeFEST 2008 |
| http://www.chapelhillnews.com/weekend/story/14060.html Real nice article announcing ClydeFEST 2008 |
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| www.artsjournal.com/flyover/2008/04/clydefest.html One swell write up from the folks at ArtsJournal |
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| http://localism.com/article/212867/Have-you-seen-Clyde-s-Critters Nice piece from the World’s Most Complete Neighbor-pedia |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOh33-2YlWg Video interview of the Hula Hoop Lady from ClydeFEST 2008 |
Thanks to our friends!
![]() The Barbecue Joint Chapel Hill |
![]() Weaver Street Realty |
Captain John's Dockside Restaurant Chapel Hill |
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![]() Shakori Hills Chatham County |
![]() Crook's Corner Chapel Hill |
![]() Chatham Homes Realty Chatham County |
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