Nashville welcomes the crisp embrace of autumn with a series of enriching events this October. From Oct. 12-15, the 45th Annual Tennessee Craft Fair takes center stage at Centennial Park, inviting patrons to explore the intricacies of handmade crafts and engage with the artisans behind them. Meanwhile, the Southern Festival of Books transforms downtown Nashville from Oct. 15-22 into a hub of literary exploration, drawing authors and book enthusiasts from far and wide.
Get into the historical fabric of Tennessee at the Lunch and Learn event on Oct. 19 at the Tennessee State Museum, where historian David Britton unravels the mysteries of the Bell Witch, shedding light on the state’s enigmatic past. At Long Hunter State Park on Oct. 20-21, the Tennessee Indian Education Pow Wow offers a unique opportunity to immerse in the cultural heritage of American Indian communities through traditional dances, demonstrations, and educational exhibits.
And then the Haunted Museum marks its 25th anniversary on Oct. 28, providing a safe and engaging Halloween experience for all ages and capping off October’s list of events. Explore the
Tennessee Craft Fair
Oct. 13-15 | Centennial Park, 2500 West End Avenue
The 45th Annual Tennessee Craft Fair is a free annual event on the lawn in Centennial Park. It supports American handmade craft pieces and requires the actual artisans to be on site so that shoppers can meet the folks who make the craft. Featured vendor artists will share what inspires them and how they take raw materials like clay, wood, metal and glass and transform them into fine craft. In addition to the market, visitors enjoy fun hands-on activities for children in the kids’ tent, food from local vendors and educational demonstrations of various kinds.
Southern Festival of Books
Oct. 15-22 | Bicentennial Mall, Tennessee State Museum and Tennessee State Library
The Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word is among the oldest literary festivals in the country, annually welcoming hundreds of authors and thousands of visitors to downtown Nashville each October. The Festival is free, and includes performance stages, food trucks, and loads of publishers and booksellers all throughout downtown at the Bicentennial Mall, Tennessee State Museum, and Tennessee State Library. See page 14 for a Q&A with Margaret Renkl, who will have various appearances in Nashville in October.
Lunch and Learn: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Bell Witch
Oct. 19 | Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd.
The story of the Bell Witch, first brought into local lore by Martin Van Buren Ingram in a book published in 1894m, is one of the most famous tales in the American South. The museum utilizes the story here to reveal a wealth of information about early 19th-century Tennessee. This presentation will discuss how people attempted to explain the unexplainable and show how the Bell Witch is rooted in real events that profoundly shaped the South. David Britton is a public historian and the Park Manager for Port Royal State Historic Park in Adams, Tenn., and Dunbar Cave State Park in Clarksville, Tenn. This Lunch and Learn event led by Britton is in-person in the Museum’s Digital Learning Center at noon. It will also be livestreamed at TNMuseum.org/Videos.
Haunted Museum 25th Anniversary
Oct. 28 | Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd.
On Saturday, Oct. 28, the Tennessee State Museum will celebrate its 25th annual Haunted Museum Storytelling Festival. The day includes a free, fun and safe Halloween event for children of all ages. The museum will be decorated for Halloween and there will be presents, games, crafts, stories and prizes. Kids can wear their costumes and settle in to hear spooky stories from Tennessee’s past or go through a Ghost Trail in the museum that leads folks through a family-friendly strange and not-so-scary story tour. The museum’s frontier printing press will also be set up to create commemorative posters for the occasion.
Tennessee Indian Education Pow Wow
Oct. 20-21 | Long Hunter State Park, 2910 Hobson Pike
The annual Tennessee Indian Education Pow Wow is a gathering of American Indians who come to dance, celebrate, pray, laugh and socialize at Long Hunter State Park. The three-day festival offers the opportunity to experience the culture and spirit of the American Indian people — the festival welcomes folks from all over the country for the celebration. There will be food, demonstrations, dancing, performances, educational booths and more.
The Contributor to host Masquerade and silent auction at The Standard
The Contributor is hosting a fundraiser that will celebrate our vendors and the Halloween season. On Oct. 27, The Standard will host the nonprofit for Masquerade Ball, a night that embodies the spirit of community and compassion.
The event aims to raise funds crucial for The Contributor’s efforts working with its newspaper vendors on housing. Attendees can anticipate an enchanting evening featuring tarot readings by Moon Witch Tarot, magical moments with Amory Hermetz during the cocktail hour and the chance to capture memories at the photo booth. The event also hosts live and silent auctions, showcasing a range of items from local passes to signed sports memorabilia.
The Contributor’s Development Director Holly Bowman says the event is a chance to enjoy a fun night while supporting a great cause.
“Our vendors work hard every day and we’re here to support them along the way,” Bowman says. “Events like this Masquerade Ball make it possible to continue our mission and to create a place where people move from working a job to having a roof over their head and getting the necessary support they need to sustain that.”
Bowman answered a few questions about the event and what to expect.
Tell me about The Contributor’s goals for this event.
Our goal is to raise money to continue to support our vendors through selling the paper and connecting them to other resources like housing, mental and physical health care and more. We would also like to make this an annual fundraiser, so we want to set the bar high with our first one this year.
What should guests expect the night of the masquerade?
Guests should expect a magic-filled evening with tarot card readings from Moon Witch Tarot, cocktail hour magic with Amory Hermetz, and a photo booth to take memories home with them! They also have the opportunity to participate in our live and silent auctions. Guests will also hear a little bit more about our mission and how their attendance directly supports our operations.
What all is included in the ticket price?
Each ticket for admission includes one drink ticket, complimentary appetizers, a tarot card reading and access to the photo booth.
What items are in the silent auction?
We have several items from passes to local activities like Cheekwood, Climb Nashville and the Nashville Zoo to collectibles (hello signed Preds jersey), to art made by our vendors and staff! All proceeds from the auction go directly to supporting our organization.
How can folks help if they can’t make it to the masquerade?
If you can’t make it, you can still participate in our silent auction online! If you are not interested in any items and would still like to support, donations of any kind are always appreciated by our staff and vendors.
How to Make Your Own Papier-Mache Mask out of Newspaper
Once you read this paper, we have the perfect thing you can do to reuse it. Go buy a ticket to The Contributor’s Masquerade Ball and then get going on this project to make your mask before the event on Oct. 27.
Making the Papier-Mache
- Mix together 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of warm water and place in a large bowl. Mix with a whisk until incorporated. Sift the flour for a smoother texture and add water if the mixture seems too thick.
- Cut or rip 10 sheets of newspaper into long strips. They should be about 1⁄2 inch long and 4–6 inches wide.
- Cover the face that the mask will be molded on with petroleum jelly or aloe vera. This keeps the paper mache from sticking to the face and allows the mask to come off when ready. Keep the paper mache mixture away from hair as much as possible.
Shaping the Face
- Make sure that each strip is completely covered in the glue mixture before putting the strips onto the face.
- Place one layer of strips along the jawline, forehead and nose, ensuring that each lays flat. Layering will happen later in the process. These areas need to be strongest to create the mask shape. Do not block mouth or nose holes.
- Then cover the cheeks and chin with the strips. Fill in any missing sections with paper mache until the whole portion of the face you’d like to create is covered. Don’t worry if there are overlapping sections. There should be approximately three layers when you finish.
Dry the Mask
- Let the mask dry for around two or three hours: the mask should feel firm and slightly wet still. feels firm and only slightly wet.
- Remove the mask from the face once it is firm. Be gentle when removing the mask working from the outside to the inside.
- Rest the mask on a flat surface to dry. Make sure that the mask is completely dry before you begin shaping or decorating it.
Add Flair
- Build up areas of your mask with more paper mache; places like cheekbones, chin and eyebrows will help fill in the mask.
- Create molds with crumpled up paper, tape it to the mask and use the paper mache to paper over those items if you want to add horns or other bumps and lumps. Wait an additional two days if you create large additions before adding any additional decoration.
- Use your imagination to decorate the mask with paint, glitter, fabric and whatever else you have around.