Summer is winding down, and the holidays are soon approaching. Why not start planning early and take a peek at what your favorite art and craft lovers are up to? Here are a few of our picks. Let us know what’s happening in your area by sharing in the comments below.

Providence, RI: September 6 – 21, 2008

The 10th Annual Pawtucket Arts Festival kicks off this week with a wide variety of visual, performance and participatory arts events by regional, national and internationally-known artists. Be sure to stop by and visit the RI Etsy Team on September 13 and 14, where over ten local Etsy artists will be representing Arts In RI with a huge booth set-up.

This week’s line up of events includes Dragonboat Races, an antique and classic car show, antique appraisals, children’s theatre, music, poetry, dancing, juried art exhibits and design competitions, film screenings and walking tours. Be sure to check out the schedule of events for all the dates and details. 

Northampton, MA: September 5 – 6, 2008

Get away for the weekend and check out the adorable little town of Northampton, MA. Home to thousands of students, artists and musicians, the town is filled with great shops, restaurants, bars and coffee houses as well as several performance venues. 

This weekend the Twist Fair will be showcasing original handmade goods and art from over 50 of the region’s most talented crafters and artists. Two days of shopping start Friday evening on September 5 with DJ beats and adult beverages. It’s less than two hours from Boston and only three hours from NYC, so it’s a great excuse to escape the city and plan a weekend getaway. Check out the related items below for a sneak peek of the fabulous crafters and artists who will be there representing their work.

Asheville, NC : September 7

Arts 2 People is excited to bring you the seventh annual FREE, Lexington Ave Arts and Fun Festival. Three blocks of Asheville’s scenic N. Lexington Ave will be lined with local art, food, beer and street performers on Sunday, September 7 from 11:00 am – 10:00 pm. (Located between College Street and the I-240 overpass.) The street will be brimming with a celebration of Asheville’s diverse and unique culture.

The entertainment schedule includes three stages and two courtyards of music and performance, featuring rock and roll, indie pop, funk, folk, ragtime, reggae, world beat, singer songwriters, bluegrass, old time, drummers, clowns, magicians, contortionists, belly dancers, modern dancers, vaudeville actors, fire dancers, break dancers and hula hoopers.

The Asheville Etsy Street Team will be making an appearance at LAAFF, bringing hands-on demonstrations on upcycled no-sew grocery bags, a community art project resulting in a creature from the briny deep and an on-site display of their team members’ handmade arts and crafts.

Washington, DC : September 10-13

Phase 1 Lounge presents Phasefest, an annual Queer music and arts festival dedicated to the development, exposure and interaction of queer and queer-allied musicians and artists, both national and international. The entertainment schedule includes a line up of talented musicians, crafters, artists, performance artists, activists and comedians.

If you are an artist or crafter who would like to participate in Phasefest, they are still accepting applications for unique local artists, artisans and crafters who also happen to be queer or allies in the gay/lesbian community.

That’s all for this week! Are you doing something crafty this weekend? Let us know in the comments below!