Vestal Arts and Heritage Association is proud to host the return of Vestival, an annual arts and music festival held on the Candoro Marble Company grounds. Vestal provides a diverse cultural and artistic event to the general public with an emphasis placed on serving the citizens of the Vestal community in South Knoxville. Vestal was once a vibrant industrial community when the Vestal Lumber Company and the Candoro Marble Works were major industrial organizations.
Here are the top 3 reasons you should make VESTIVAL a MUST ATTEND this May:
Vestival takes pride in showcasing Knoxville's local artists, food vendors, and crafters. You will walk away with a full belly and a bag full of local goods - whether it be art, jewelry, soap… you name it Vestival has it!
Vestival is BACK with a great lineup of musical talent for this year’s event with headliner the Tennessee Sheiks! Other musical performances include Tim Woody, All Signs Point North, Pistol Creek Catch of the Day and Zach Russell. In addition to the main stage, we will have local talent spread out across the Vestival grounds. The East Tennessee Bluegrass Association will be hosting a “Picker’s Tent” for beginners and advanced bluegrass musicians. A crowd favorite, Dragonfly Aerial Arts will be returning to wow the audience with a circus art performance.
The Candoro Marble Building, designed by renowned architect Charles Barber, is an important example of the Beaux-Arts architectural style. It celebrates the beauty of Tennessee Pink Marble and the skill of the master craftsmen who contributed to the site. Albert Milani sculpted many of the interior and exterior marble pieces, including the delicate ribbons carved into the bases of columns and the bold shield above the main entrance. Samuel Yellin, famous for ironwork seen throughout the country, crafted iron doors, gates, and hardware with elegant details underscoring his masterful control over his medium. The interior wall painting by Hugh Tyler in the vestibule follows the curved lines of the domed ceiling with its ornate acanthus leaves. The Candoro Marble Building is of local and national significance.
Author
Hannah Zechman
Hannah Zechman is a Knoxville-native and currently serves on the Vestal Arts and Heritage Association Board. Hannah received her B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Tennessee and her M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Mississippi where she worked as an archaeologist during her academic career. She has also enjoyed positions at multiple historic institutions and museums across the Southeast. Hannah and her husband, Zach Russell, live with their two dogs in Clinton, Tennessee where she also teaches pottery at the Appalachian Arts Craft Center and operates a small-batch ceramics studio on her property.
