ARTISANS ON THE GREEN | Sandwich Home Indust

ARTISANS ON THE GREEN - OUR CENTENNIAL YEAR

August 6, 2026, 10 am-4pm

Artisans on the Green (AOG) is an annual event held during Sandwich Old Home Week. AOG is sponsored by the Sandwich Home Industries which is celebrating its 100th year in 2026. Representing the legacy of SHI as a "home crafts industry" across a wide variety of artistic media, artisans from across the Lakes Region and beyond will offer items for sale and demonstrations of their artistic process.

The fair is located on the Town Green in Center Sandwich, NH, in front of the historic Sandwich Home Industries building. As one of the foundational highlights in our Centennial year celebration, AOG will offer:

Open SHI Gallery featuring over 40 artists, both juried and local, who contribute to the richness of our historic home crafts industry
A record number of artisans offering their art and demonstrations on the Green.
Activities for children.
Music by local artists.
A wonderful lunch on the Green, hosted by the Sandwich Women’s Club.
A raffle held by the Sandwich Women’s Club with proceeds supporting programs for children of the local community.

CONTINUING A TRADITION OF THE SANDWICH HOME INDUSTRIES

The Artisans on the Green art and craft festival is the current iteration of a decades-old tradition of art shows put on by the Sandwich Home Industries. In the beginning these were small affairs with local painters and photographers, including a once very popular children’s art show, (where every entry got a blue ribbon!).

In 2008, a combination of a huge rainstorm and a once-in-a-generation recession crippled the show. Twelve volunteers helped, and 10 artists attended! That winter Board members Robin Dustin and John Harris suggested craft artists be invited and preparations began for a “new” and “improved” event. The Board spread the word and by early summer the Industries had received sufficient requests from artists, and the Quimby Trustees were approached for permission to hold the event on the town green. The name, “Artisans on the Green” was chosen, and since 2009 the event has been held with larger and larger numbers of participating artisans and attendees.

To further the educational mission of the Sandwich Home Industries, the event was transformed into both an exhibit/sale and educational event. Artisans were invited to provide instruction and demonstrations, and were encouraged to discuss their own career and creative development.

Since then, an increasing number of artisans representing a wider and wider variety of artistic media set up their tents for the day. SHI provides a craft tent with demos, and our Gallery is open as well.