The Iowa Arts and Crafts Festival, a free event, will be 9 am.-2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Iowa Community Center, 207 U.S. 90 W. in Iowa.

“This is our ninth year of the festival, and we have a few new things happening for this one,” said Cornell Thomas, a branch manager with the Calcasieu Parish Public Library.

“We have an artist who is going to help kids and adults make their own trading cards out of artwork that they have designed. It’s something fun and unique that should be enjoyable for all.”

Thomas said the artisans who will participate in the festival include Emma Hughes, Rex Alexander, Andrew Fritzenschaft, Linda Leonard, Robert Baxter, Frank McDonald, Jim Benoit and Rod Talbot.

“Rex Alexander will be doing some pottery demonstrations which will be interesting for festival attendees,” Thomas said.

He said authors Curt Iles and Mary Guidry-Ringo, along with the Southwest Louisiana Literacy Council and the library’s outreach team, will also take part in festival activities.

Music will be provided by R.D. “Red Dog” Hebert, and Thomas said the entertainment for the event will be mostly “classical and easy-listening music.”

Free refreshments will be available.

“We have a great lineup of offerings for the festival,” Thomas said.

“We just hope the weather will hold up.”

For more information, call 721-7101.

Basket weaver Emma Hughes (Special to the American Press)