By Andi Bedsworth

As I covered last week, the Art-er Limits Fringe Festival starts today offering performances, activities, arts and culture all weekend. Since the fest is offering over 50 events in four days, I wanted to give more detail on some of the arts related events going on.

As coordinator of the Oxford Fiber Arts Festival, I was pleased to see several fiber arts related demonstrations scheduled and wanted to elaborate on those events. Cedar Oaks Guild is having an open house during the weekend as part of the festival, and Dianne Fergusson, along with Docent Coordinator, Marianna Ochs, has organized docents to be on hand to give tours Thursday-Saturday from 11-3 p.m. and 1-4 on Sunday. Demonstrations will be held from 1-3 p.m. each day.

Today, Tricia Copelin will be demonstrating beaded embroidery and other fancy embroidery techniques she uses on pageant and wedding gowns; she’ll have a power point presentation featuring some of her completed gowns that have been worn by contestants in Miss Mississippi and Miss America.

Marianna Ochs and others from the Peacemaker’s Quilt Guild will be demonstrating quilting techniques including applique on Friday, and Lynn Wells will show visitors how to knit using their arms and fingers on Saturday. Her presentation will include active participation, so if knitting is something you want to learn, this would be a fun way to do it.

Michele Emanuel will also present on Saturday showing how she makes rugs and weavings.

Again, on Sunday, Tricia Copelin will do an encore presentation of her embroidery techniques she shared on Thursday. Joining her will be Michele Emanuel with her weaving and rug making demonstrations. A display of Cecil Bowers woodworked creations will also be in the house. A sweet ending to the weekend will include Sharon Shreiber making traditional candies including a taffy pull in which quests will be invited to participate.

Each day the documentary film, “The House that Would Not Die” will be shown making the house a busy place to be on this fun weekend.

The house which was built in 1859 by William Turner, Cedar Oaks is a Greek revival home that has had a storied past. Molly Turner Orr, the builder’s sister, organized a fire brigade to save the house in 1864 after it was set on fire by occupying Union troops. Nearly 100 years later, Mary Alice Tate rallied women in Oxford to save it from commercial development and helped move the house 2.2 miles to its current location. The name came from the stately cedars and oak trees on the new site that was donated by T.E. Avent in honor of his wife. The home is maintained by the Historic Sites Commission and supported by Cedar Oaks Guild. I encourage you to visit the home during the Art-er Limits Fringe Festival.

Andi Bedsworth is the owner of Art To Go, which brings free art opportunities to children in the community.