Secrets to Getting the Most Out of the Legendary American Craft Council Show April 7-10

Courtesy of American Craft Council
Courtesy of American Craft Council

The annual American Craft Show is returning to RiverCentre in St. Paul April 7-10. The show features more than 220 juried artists from across the country. If you’ve never been to an ACC show, we’ll let you in on a few secrets.

Serious shoppers plan to attend the preview party on the Thursday evening to mix and mingle with the artists and have first choice of one-of-a-kind jewelry, fashion wearables and home decor. The party also features The Balvenie Scotch whisky tastings, and a variety of craft microbrews provided by the Beer Dabbler. It’s an extremely civilized way to shop and support the American Craft Council, a national nonprofit arts organization based in Northeast Minneapolis.

Courtesy of American Craft Council
Courtesy of American Craft Council

The Balvenie and the Beer Dabbler tastings

The Balvenie and Beer Dabbler will be also offering tastings during regular show times Friday through Sunday, April 8-10:

The Balvenie will host tastings in the Let’s Make pavilion where attendees will have the chance to meet the Balvenie brand ambassador, Jonathan Wingo, who will lead guided tastings, discussing The Balvenie’s collection of award-winning single malts and how The Balvenie and the American Craft Council execute their parallel missions to celebrate craft.

Courtesy of American Craft Council
Courtesy of American Craft Council

The Balvenie Tasting Schedule

Friday |
 12:45-1:30 p.m.
| 2-2:45 p.m. | 4:30-5:15 p.m. |
 5:45-6:30 p.m. |
 7-7:45 p.m.
Saturday |
 noon-12:45 p.m. |
1:15-2 p.m. | 2:30-3:15 p.m. |
3:45-4:30 p.m. |
 5-5:45 p.m.
Sunday | noon-12:45 p.m. | 1:15-2 p.m. | 2:30-3:15 p.m. | 3:45-4:30 p.m.

Courtesy of American Craft Council
Courtesy of American Craft Council

The Beer Dabbler Tasting Schedule

The Twin Cities’ Beer Dabbler, an organization focused on promoting the culture of craft beer, will host daily tastings from a variety of area microbreweries, including:

Friday, 3-7:30 p.m.
Insight Brewing Co
Bauhaus Brew Labs
LynLake Brewery

Saturday, noon-4:30 p.m.
Lakes & Legends Brewing Co.
Boom Island Brewing Co.
Olvalde Farmhouse Ales

Sunday, noon-4:30 p.m.
Northgate Brewing
Eastlake Craft Brewery
Sweetland Orchard

New this year at the ACC show: Style Slam

On Friday, April 8, well-known local stylists Tressie Schneider, Davee Ek, Christina Fortier, and Jose Ayala, plus ACC’s national Style Slam ambassador, Grant Whittaker, will scout the show floor looking for the fashion wearables, jewelry, and accessory statement pieces ACC is known for. Stylists will use their favorite finds throughout the show to style mannequins and models, offer fashion tips to attendees, and post their top picks online. On Saturday, April 9, the stylists will do member makeovers.

This is the fourth year of ACC’s popular interior design exhibit, Make Room: Modern Design Meets Craft. Each designer was asked to work with this year’s theme, 4-Directions, to incorporate pieces from the show into a room vignette that depicts the essence of style in the North, South, East, or West. This year’s designers include Jennifer Jorgensen, Liz Gardner, Carter Averbeck, and Drew Beson.

To order tickets: craftcouncil.org/stpaul