After the conclusion of the Thanksgiving holiday festivities, are you looking to get out and enjoy an activity as a family? Take a self-guided tour around Virginia’s Eastern Shore and enjoy the 20th Annual ESVA Artisans Guild’s Holiday Studio Tour!
High Point Glass Works artist at work in Belle Haven, Virginia. Photo by Eastern Shore of Virginia Artisans Guild
The Eastern Shore is home to a thriving community of artists and artisans. While some have their incredible studios open year-round, others are only open for visitors during the studio tour. If you have ever wanted to take the chance to take a behind the scenes look into the magic as our artisans craft glass works, fiber art, paintings, decoys, and more, this is an incredible opportunity!
Starting in 2002, the ESVA Artisans Guild started the Holiday Studio Tour as their flagship event to highlight the incredible talent here on the Shore. According to the Artisans Guild, “The tour takes you off the beaten path and leads you via scenic routes to the home studios, a vineyard and historic locations between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The tour has become a real holiday tradition on the Eastern Shore peninsula, providing a fun opportunity to appreciate our local culture and share it with friends or visiting family members. More than 40 Guild artisans are showing and selling their handmade creations at 15 to 18 different stops and can explain their inspiration and techniques with visitors. It is a wonderful way for many folks to get to know the beautiful Eastern Shore countryside, kick off the Holiday Season with some unique holiday shopping and support our local artisan community.”
“This wonderful Thanksgiving weekend self-driving tour of artists’ and artisans’ studios as well as a vineyard on the Eastern Shore of Virginia will be held from 10-5 on Friday and Saturday, November 25th and 26th, 2022. Our 20th Tour will feature 50 artisans at 18 Tour Stops! To highlight our 20th year, we will offer chances to win $50-$300 credit with your favorite Tour artisan, random door prizes at each Tour Stop, and our first ever photo contest, with cash prizes from $25-$100! Explore the beautiful ESVA and its wealth of creative talent and join us for a relaxing and entertaining shopping and wine-tasting experience. We look forward to kicking off the holiday season together!” (www.esvaartisansguild.org/studio-tour)
Over the 20 years of the tour’s existence, it has become a beloved family tradition for visitors and locals alike. Karyn of Ten Good Sheep, a studio located in the Historic Onancock School, says, “Every year our family looks forward to visiting the Eastern Shore for Thanksgiving. After the rush of Thanksgiving Day, the Guild’s annual Studio Tour has become a relaxing and fun tradition for us. We get to drive the interesting roads of the Shore and kick off our holiday season by visiting all of the working artisan studios. Bringing home one-of-a-kind handmade gifts from the Studio Tour marks the start of our family’s holiday season every year.”
So, whether you like woodworking, painting, glass works, pottery, carvings, quilts, or sculptures, you’re sure to find something beautiful on this year’s ESVA Artisans Guild tour. Check out the brochure here for the full list of stops and all the artisans you can meet along the way!
What will you discover as you wander? Share your photos and videos with us by tagging @visitesva on all social platforms!
Learn more about the ESVA Artisans Guild on their website: www.esvaartisansguild.org
The Eastern Shore of Virginia Tourism Commission (Visit ESVA) is here to help you plan your ESVA adventure! Follow us @visitesva on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter or use visitesva.com to build your dream vacation.
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