Kings Mountain Art Fair

Breathtaking setting. Some of the artists are familiar from other local street fairs; others you will not have seen anywhere. Great mountain vibe, feels very far from home even though it’s only a half-​hour drive from the mid-​peninsula. Get there early; plan to arrive before 10 a.m. Unless the weather is miserable, you will run into horrific backups on 92 and scrounge for parking on Skyline, as the parking situation is pathetic. If you are biking or riding your horse, you can ignore the prior two sentences.

Enjoying a beautiful Sunday morning at the Kings Mountain Art Fair where over 200 very talented and diversified artists are displaying some of the most creative works I’ve seen. That this art show is held in a redwood forest and many artists use recycled products makes it all the better. That they sell cookies the size of frisbees with proceeds going to the local fire department and schools makes this a class act.
Come early (by 10am) as parking can be a problem… but they offset that with shuttle service.

A different take on an art festival. It’s hidden deep in the Santa Cruz/​Los Gatos mountains. Parking really was a pain but the hike was nice, except for all the auto traffic. Most of the artwork the vendors had on display had ridiculous pricing. I guess they cater to a specific clientele.

5-​star relaxing experience :) .
Location: 5 stars. Can’t beat the beautiful woods on Hwy 35.
**Note to tourists: Planning any destination that requires travel on hwy 35, 84, 92, &/​or 1 is most effective in the morning. If you get there before 9:00am, there is no traffic, no difficulty parking, and no unnecessary stress. If you get there after 9:00am, be aware that you will need the patience to sit in copious amounts of traffic.**
Event: The sheer number of incredibly talented artists and musicians that attend this event is impressive. Everyone was friendly, and there was no pressure to purchase anything. If you do have money for art and have an interest to purchase, a percent of the proceeds go to volunteer organizations in the area.
Food: Nothing spectacular, but everything was good enough and priced fairly. Beer and wine were, of course, great.

I’ve been to this event I think once before but had little memory of it when my mom mentioned that we should go. I appreciate art fairs because I am far from artistic and I appreciate supporting people who have a creative craft. The venors were really cool-​I didn’t buy anything but my brother rook home a nice hat, I didn’t eat anything but the food line seemed very popular. Only issue is the shuttles. My lord do they need more. Or move to a bigger space considering how popular this is. I think that there are only 2 shuttles for hundreds of people and they only come ever 15 minutes or so. Other than that, solid event for families and craft enthusiasts!

This is our favorite art fair. We couldn’t get it together to get there early & got stuck in traffic on 92. By the time we got to Skyline the traffic thinned out. We got there about 1:30. Parking worked out pretty easy and they have free shuttles along Skyline. We are always real impressed with the quality and variety of the art at this fair. And the food they have is real good too. You can’t beat the setting among the redwoods. If we’re at home in the Bay Area over Labor Day weekend we try to attend. We’ve found some reasonably priced high quality items for us and as gifts here. The fact that it is all to support the volunteer fire department makes us feel good. Everyone supports volunteer firefighters.
If you go, you will have a great time.

Proceeds from Kings Mountain Art Fair benefits their volunteer fire department, the vendors are high quality, not all high priced. The setting is really beautiful, this year weather was phenomenal. If you are not going to arrive by 9am, you will be mired in traffic. So get your butt out of bed by 7:30am, hit the road in time for the pancake breakfast 8am-​10am. then check out the vendors, spend some money (don’t be a llookiloo with your hands in your pockets). Most of the vendors donate 15% of their sales to the volunteer fire dept. There is no admission fee to the event.
Local residents started the Art Fair in 1963 as a fundraiser to help create a volunteer fire company for the remote Kings Mountain community. The first fair, held in a red barn, featured mostly local artists and raised $ 50. The fair has only grown since, and now has a reputation as one of the best art shows on the West Coast.

Wonderful event. Great vendors, nice people, and the redwoods were buetiful.

Went to Kings Mtn Art Fair for the first time Mon 9÷3÷12 starting at Teague Hill. We’re hikers so it’s no big deal it was maybe 2.5 miles one way. Warm day & they hike fast so not feeling so good.
Got there & used the porta potty first. There were maybe 20 of them & seemed clean. Potable water was available with soap & paper towels to wash up.
Lines for food was long, but it seemed to move. Prices were reasonable I picked up a menu: Hamburger, cheeseburger $ 7, chili cheeseburger $ 9, grilled chicken on a bun $ 7, sausage on roll $ 7, vegi burger $ 6, chili $ 5, turkey sandwich $ 6, pbj sandwich $ 3, nachos $ 3, corn $ 2, cole slaw $ 3, Sodas $ 2, milk $ 1, coffee (Peet’s) $ 2, Beer $ 6, Wine $ 7.
Giant Cookies $ 5 fundraiser for King Mtn Elementary School — toffee sold out!, peanut butter, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, lemon sugar. I just tried some samples — just ok.
Lots of cool art sold by vendors. I liked Gary’s Custom Wood Clocks; Dirk Yuricich Photography, I Make Bells.
NO Dogs, Pets, Horses, Bikes, Rollerskates Allowed, but of course I saw dogs!
There’s shuttle service available along Skyline Blvd. We didn’t use it.
Check it out next yr if you didn’t go this Labor Day Weekend.

I can imagine that the parking for this fair can be a nightmare (See prior reviews). However, since I found out about it on Sunday night, and I already had lunch plans for Monday, I knew we wouldn’t be able to get there until later on Monday (Labor day).
I’m glad we went at the time we did! We arrived around 3 PM on Monday (the last day). Most people were leaving; we got a good parking spot. I thought maybe everyone would be packing up, but no, there was plenty of art to be seen and plenty of time to see it. The setting was amazing — a beautiful redwood forest. It was clear that they do screen the artists — much of the work was of the type that you would see in galleries. Though, much like those gallery pieces, the art was expensive! Maybe one day, I’ll be able to afford some of that stuff, but until then, I really enjoyed looking at it.
TIP: When you exit the fair at the main entrance (not the shuttle entrance), if you look immediately to your left (your right if you are entering), there is a HUGE blackberry bush. Only a few people had noticed it, so there were plenty of blackberries for the taking. Yummy!

Are you KIDDING me!
We drove 45 minutes to get to Woodside, climbed that uphill windy 4-​mile road to get to Hwy 35 and we see all these cars parked along the road and a Shuttle Stop sign.
So we finally find parking and we walk to the shuttle pick-​up point and we wait. And we wait. And we wait!
It was close to an hour we stood there! No shuttle! I lost my husband to a totally foul and pissed mood. Me too.
We got there at around 12:30 and finally got in our car and left at 1:30.
What the hell happened ! ! How poorly organized could this have been!
The vendors need to know
they missed some willing paying customers, thank you very much.
We had a number of things we wanted to do today and decided we would go to the Kings Mountain Fair above all else.
Totally ruined our precious day off.

Of all the art festivals in the Bay area, this one has solidified the tally as my favorite. It’s soo much better than the Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Los Gatos, or Los Altos art festivals. Definitely get there early so that you can find parking along Skyline. Or, you can always take the shuttle. The artwork is high quality – vetted by the festival itself. It’s so beautiful to see paintings hanging from redwood trees and to walk in the shade, it’s quite nice. Go!

How is this for an unforgettable combination? Mix great art with gigantic trees, add some sun and shade filtering through canopies of green, and let human creativity and natural beauty meld in a kaleidoscope of shifting colors, textures, and patterns.*
Sound cool? It is! The 2010 edition of the King’s Mountain Art Fair ((
) is filled with such magical moments, when the crowds seem to dissipate and you are alone with the art, the redwoods, and the inner echoing of your soul as it resonates gently in aesthetic and spiritual overload. Yes, you can buy the art to take home, or simply admire it all while sipping a beer, or take pleasure in watching your children play, or have an eye-​opening conversation with local craftsmen and artists. You can do all of that, and more. But only for three days each Labor Day weekend, when the Santa Cruz Mountain Skyline is transformed into a pilgrimage site and shrine for art in all its many manifestations.
The artists’ booths are tucked into the surrounding forests near to the King’s Mountain community center and volunteer fire station (
). The fair helps fund the station as well as the nearby elementary school on Swett Road.
The items are amazing, from the simple and silly to the sublime. Some of my favorites this year include wooden fish w/​bottle-​cap eyes (
); a bulldog made from colored tiles (
); exquisite and somewhat eerie wire-​mesh sculptures of jellyfish, squid (
), ravens (
), goats (
), and a menagerie of beasts and beauties; and a set of sensual Buddha-​like faces carved out of stone that look as it they were crafted by the hands of nature, not man (
). From one angle, the American flag above the fire station was visible, making for an indelible image of 21^st century American life in all its diversity and mix of faces both old and new (
). Truth be told, we’re all relative newcomers compared to the ancient redwoods, like the majestic Methuselah a few miles down the road from the art fair, who is nearly 1900 years old (
) or one-​armed Jack, a megatree hidden in the remote reaches of nearby Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve (
).
Additionally, there are lots of great displays of glass, wood, toys, photographs, jewelery, and even recorded music. You’ll never shop at IKEA again!
But the best part, I think, is the living art you make yourself by stopping to look at the trees and displays from unusual vantage points. It’s like an outdoor museum of never-​ending, constantly-​changing exhibitions. Well, it does come to end, after a long weekend’s whirlwind of late summer activity. Then, when everyone has packed up and left and the last shuttle buses have departed, the forest breathes a collective sign of relief, as it reverts back to its serene and splendid everyday form, patiently waiting for the next arrivals of art, artists, and admirers the following year.
(*) Written to celebrate my 1-​year Unilocaling anniversary. Thanks for reading!

I will never be able to happily attend a street fair again after attending the Kings Mountain Art Fair. Set in the Redwood Forests up on Skyline Boulevard, the atmosphere here felt so magical that you almost expected pixies and fairies to emerge and join in the fun.
Held annually during Labor Day weekend, the festival features fine artists from the West Coast, great food (including a variety of gigantic cookies sold by the elementary school) and a nice sized kid activity area where the littles one can read, create and hang out in a tee pee. Proceeds benefit the Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade and elementary school.
Take note: Wear good walking shoes because much of the festival is sloped and all of it is scattered throughout the forest.
Bring a sweatshirt as well, it can get chilly in such a lush Redwood forest!
Parking is challenging! Most of the parking is along the sides of Skyline, a two-​lane winding road frequented by bicyclists and motor cyclists. It can be a little awkward for cars and pedestrians to co-​mingle. Please make sure that you wedge your car completely over the white line at the shoulder when parking and keep little ones close as you walk. While most drivers negotiating the area of the festival do so with great care, it only takes one careless moment for a fun outing to turn tragic!
For more info, visit:

I like the idea/​concept of an art fair held in the woods during labor day.
All the proceeds go back to King’s Mountain Schools.
The «woods» was the perfect setting. It was slopey (with woodchips) on the ground.
FOOD — Burger, Beer, Fries, Strawberry cake, $ 4 cookies.
Designers — It’s mostly folk art, figurines and ceramic pots. Not really my kind of jewelery.
I guess it’s nice to mix and mingle?
I saw two restaurants on this road —
The Mountain House
The Bella Vista

Hellooooo chili cheeseburgers and giant cookies!
I’m tired of most art fairs but would totally go to this one again. Feels like a cross between a hippy artist colony and summer camp.
Love that it’s run by volunteers (who not only do one heck of a job, but really seem to be enjoying themselves) and that the event benefits local schools and other orgs.
The food (also made and served by volunteers) was awesome… Art was great, yes it’s similar to what you see at many other fairs, but generally very high quality, and the setting under the redwoods can’t be beat.

This Art Fair ROCKS!!! The hardest part is finding a place to park, but once you’ve done that, relax and enjoy yourself. There are free shuttles to take you to the fair. You will find yourself in an incredibly serene setting in the redwoods. Warning that you will be walking up and down hills, it’s not a huge work out but you need to step carefully. The artists and crafts people are high quality. There are some very reasonably priced bargains but some items are way out of most people’s price ranges. Example — bird’s eye maple rocking chair for $ 11,000!
Everyone is friendly, the food & beverages are high quality at a reasonable price. Compared to the other major art festival over Labor Day in the Bay Area (Sausalito) – I prefer this any day.

If there is one place where my wife and I are incompatible, it’s on the whole concept of the arts and crap fair. She loves them. She marvels at the crocheted toaster cozies, toe rings, henna tattoos, incense, beer can wind chimes and purses made out of license plates. Or cigar boxes. Or vegetable leather. She is fascinated with people who scamper from the Gilroy Garlic Festival to the Stockton Asparagus Festival to the Yuba City Herpes Festival in huge Ford Econoline vans full of handmade soap. Or ceramic cat heads. Or cowboy hats made out of hemp. If any of this stuff was at all necessary, they would sell it at Safeway. By the register.
Is there anything more uncomfortable than peering into a display case of jewelery ‘handmade by Bernice’ that is so butt ugly you just want to point and laugh… but Bernice is hovering over you with a hopeful look in her bloodshot eyes? Or trying to keep a straight face while looking at ‘art’ that you wouldn’t put on your refrigerator if your second grader brought it home from school? Hell, you’d probably bust open his college fund and blow it on beer and porn figuring that he’s, well, not exactly university material.
The King’s Mountain Art Fair is nothing like that. It seems like they really screen the artists. It’s very high quality and very creative. Most of it so expensive that you really wouldn’t seriously consider buying it but it’s fun to walk through the enchanted forest and look at it. The setting is so beautiful and the people are so friendly that it makes for a very nice day. The food is great and the beer selection was pretty amazing for a small town art fair. Plus all the food and beer is very reasonably priced. It is really hilly so it’s not remotely wheelchair accessible.
Minus one star for the bizarre parking situation that was designed by those Critical Mass bicycle dudes in conjunction with Franz Kafka and Ted Kaczynski.

Checking out fine arts and crafts in a beautiful redwood setting… one of the most relaxing ways to spend a holiday weekend. The Kings Mountain Art Fair is held every year the weekend of Labor Day. (This year was the 43^rd annual event.) Over 200 artists show and sell their works of art at the event. Admission is free, as is the shuttle bus on Skyline Blvd. Yes, it can get quite crowded up here, but once you’ve found a parking spot the rest of the day is quite enjoyable.
Proceeds benefit Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade and Kings Mountain Elementary School. All Art Fair workers, staff and management volunteer their time. Bookmark this event for next year and (easily) support these local organizations.