Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival

From Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival Website:

Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival celebrates 52 years with more accolades. For the sixth time in eight years, The American Bus Association chose Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival as one of its TOP 100 Events in North America in 2014. It was recognized for the first time by ********.*** as a TOP 10 Event in Indiana.

The festival and marketplace are located outdoors around the farm's pond. Richard Pletcher, founder of the festival and Amish Acres, remains CEO and Jennifer Pletcher Wysong is the festival director. The fourth generation is now involved in the events management.

In recognition of the 50th anniversary festival in 2012, Senator Ryan Mishler presented a Senate Resolution from the Indiana General Assembly, commendations from the Indiana House of Representatives, and a personal letter from Governor Mitch Daniels and founder Richard Pletcher was named a Distinguished Hoosier by Governor Daniels. Additional recognition to the half-century achievement included a key to the City of Nappanee and recognition from the Nappanee Public Library and the Elkhart County Convention and Visitors' Bureau.

The readers of Sunshine Artist magazine have ranked the festival as high as the 3rd best Classic and Contemporary Craft Show in the country. Travel Trade Magazine's Focus 500 lists Amish Acres first among its top ten attractions for group travel in Indiana. Senior Group Traveler chose the festival as its only Indiana selection included in their Editor's Choice List of Outstanding Festivals and Major Events: one of only seventy nationwide. This national recognition has been earned by the exhibitors and the festival's staff.

The show is promoted with extensive local, regional and national print, billboard, television, radio, Internet, email, social media, and direct mail advertising with online retail opportunities to attract buyers specifically interested in unique hand crafted products. The festival's target audience encircles Nappanee from Chicago to Indianapolis to Toledo and Detroit.

Over five decades the festival has earned the respect of talented artisans from across the country because of its sales history, commitment to quality, juried products and family friendly but business-oriented approach to show management. The show is limited to approximately 300 booth spaces, with nearly 250 cities in over 30 states represented by exhibitors.

Read Richard Pletcher's Remembrances of the past five decades of Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival, from its mere beginnings as a clothes line art show in downtown Nappanee to its current status as one of American's TOP 100 events in North America.