Celebrating 20 years of festivities commemorating Dr. George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver
Arts & Crafts Festival
Our 20th Year

George Washington Carver Arts & Crafts Festival Our 20th YearGeorge Washington Carver Arts & Crafts Festival Our 20th YearGeorge Washington Carver Arts & Crafts Festival Our 20th Year
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    • Home
    • Festival Events & 411
      • Vendors
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      • Car Show
      • Other Important Info
      • Youth Science Fair
      • PreRegistration
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George Washington Carver
Arts & Crafts Festival
Our 20th Year

George Washington Carver Arts & Crafts Festival Our 20th YearGeorge Washington Carver Arts & Crafts Festival Our 20th YearGeorge Washington Carver Arts & Crafts Festival Our 20th Year
  • Home
  • Festival Events & 411
    • Vendors
    • Parade
    • Car Show
    • Other Important Info
    • Youth Science Fair
    • PreRegistration
  • Contact Us & Location Map
  • Entertainment
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Downtown Tuskegee Saturday, May 3, 2025

Downtown Tuskegee Saturday, May 3, 2025Downtown Tuskegee Saturday, May 3, 2025Downtown Tuskegee Saturday, May 3, 2025

Theme: Dr. Carver's Legend:

Alive in 2025


Downtown Tuskegee Saturday, May 3, 2025

Downtown Tuskegee Saturday, May 3, 2025Downtown Tuskegee Saturday, May 3, 2025Downtown Tuskegee Saturday, May 3, 2025

Theme: Dr. Carver's Legend:

Alive in 2025


Carver Festival Food Festival: A Gastronomic Adventure

Special Theatrical Production

Friday & Saturday Night

Showtime 7:00 pm Both Nights

Jessie Clinton Arts Center

201 South Main ST. Tuskegee, AL 

“Carver” By Paxton Williams

Former Mayor of Tuskegee, and Founder/CEO of The World Conference of Mayors, Johnny Ford coined the name “Booker T’s Towns”. It was his idea to join the Annual Carver Festival in a celebration of the wisdom and broad vision of Booker T. Washington to bring Carver to Tuskegee as well as to help develop build Black towns and communities, by sponsoring an original play presented by the Tuskegee Repertory Theatre, featuring TRT resident artists with guest artist Paxton Williams, telling this true historic story

"Booker T’S Towns” By Dyann Robinson Music By Bill Perry

Production creator, Dyann Robinson says, “Our play is composed of 2 stories presented as one, because bringing Caver to Tuskegee and helping to create all Black towns are both part of the genius of Tuskegee’s first Principal, Booker T. Washington. Our story combines a fictitious, and highly imaginative, audience encounter with George Washington Carver as he leaves the 15th Anniversary meeting of Dr. Booker T Washington’s National Negro Business League, followed by an also fictitious but highly probable meeting by Dr. Booker T. Washington with distinguished leaders from 5 all Black towns or communities that he has mentored and supported in some way.   Email us for ticket Information

Artist and Scientist

The George Washington Carver Arts & Crafts Festival, celebrates the life and contributions of the famed scientist of Tuskegee (Institute) University.


The festival is in recognition of Dr. Carver's first love, art; this day-long festival encourages artistic expression by means of music, dance, paintings, sculpture, crafts, vendors and other family-oriented activities.  

Click here to pre-register for the parade, car show, vendor or Master/Miss Festival. . .

Click here to pre-register for the parade, car show, vendor or Master/Miss Festival. . .

Click here to pre-register for the parade, car show, vendor or Master/Miss Festival. . .

Click here to pre-register for the parade, car show, vendor or Master/Miss Festival. . .

Click here to pre-register for the parade, car show, vendor or Master/Miss Festival. . .

Click here to pre-register for the parade, car show, vendor or Master/Miss Festival. . .

Events & Activities

Parade

Food and Merchandise Vendors

Food and Merchandise Vendors

Line-up 9:00 am  starts at 10:00 am from Human Resources Building, and proceeds down Main St., then right on West Northside, to end on North Elm & Fonville.


 But please be sure and register.

Click here for more info. . .

Food and Merchandise Vendors

Food and Merchandise Vendors

Food and Merchandise Vendors

The festival provides a wonderful opportunity for vendors from  Macon County and surrounding area to showcase their talents, skills and  products. Everything from fine arts & crafts, handmade gifts, one of  a kind treasures to. . . and of course, food to suit a plethora a taste  buds.

Vendor application

Car Show

Food and Merchandise Vendors

Science Fair

Biggest classic car show in the area with participation from other area auto clubs. Features vintage and newer vehicles, unique designs, exotic interiors,  exotic exteriors with characteristics not usually seen on the road.  

Register your car

Science Fair

Bounce Houses & Slides

Science Fair

Inviting area youth to help celebrate Dr. Carver's legacy as a scientist extraordinaire.  Science fair is truly a community youth event and participation is open to any youth grades K - 12.  Participation is usually enacted through the schools, but any youth can  participate. Participants can receive trophies, plaques, scholarships, internships and other nifty  prizes.


Register online or by hard copy.

More Science Fair 411. . .

Music & Entertainment

Bounce Houses & Slides

Bounce Houses & Slides

Music throughout the day. Gospel in the 

morning and afternoon concerts feature professional artist from a variety of music genres. 


Last years artist:

  • David Banks DBGZ
  • Tamala Taylor
  • O B Buchanan
  • Funk Nation


Check out the "cats"

Bounce Houses & Slides

Bounce Houses & Slides

Bounce Houses & Slides

Jump Wright's safe,  durable, and clean inflatable bounce houses, wet/dry slides, combo  units, and games.

Contact Jump Wright

Master and Miss Carver Festival

An integral part of the Festival include the presentation of Master & Miss Carver Festival. Contestants are drawn from area schools, grades 3-8. The reign of the Master and Miss Carver Festival extends over a two year period.

Application

Take a Picture with George Washington Carver

Paxton Williams, Dr. Carver Impressionist, will be on hand for a live question and answer while he reflects on the life and times of Dr. Carver.

Other Activities

Other Activities

The George Washington Carver Arts & Crafts Festival is perhaps one of the top events in the State of Alabama other activities include:

  • Festival theme exhibition
  • Surprise celebrities and guests
  • Annual image luncheon
  • Recognition of area schools named for Dr. Carver
  • Presentation of prizes and awards
  • Live student participation

A Brief History of the Festival

The 43 year old festival, a brain child of William Carver Lenard, had its beginning in 1981 at the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site. The festival was first held  in front of The George Washington Carver Museum on the Campus Avenue of Tuskegee Institute now Tuskegee University.  2024 makes the18th year that the festival has been held in historic downtown Tuskegee, Alabama. 

Pre-Registration

You are welcome to pre-register online or hard copy register for either the (Parade, Vendor, Car Show, Master and Miss Festival). 


You may Pre-register online to "hold your spot"


To register using the "Printable hard copy" method, click on  the item of interest above.


To pre-register online, click on the button below.

Pre-Register Online

More About Dr. George Washington Carver

The Legacy of Dr. George Washington Carver

As a botany and agriculture teacher to  the children of ex-slaves, Dr. George Washington Carver wanted to  improve the lot of “the man farthest down,” the poor, one-horse farmer  at the mercy of the market and chained to land exhausted by cotton.


Dr. Carver’s practical and benevolent  approach to science was based on a profound religious faith to which he  attributed all his accomplishments. He always believed that faith and  inquiry were not only compatible paths to knowledge, but that their  interaction was essential if truth in all its manifold complexity was to  be approximated. 

Click herer for More about the legacy of Dr. Carver

Dr. Carver's Inventions, Creations & Developments

List of products made from the sweet potato *


List of products made from the peanut *


Famous and familiar quotes of Dr. Carver


* Courtesy of Tuskegee University

Dr. Carver was also a Musician

It was said that he could play any instrument set before him. 


Dr. Carver' training included an enrollment in Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, a small Methodist school that admitted all qualified applicants, regardless of race or ethnicity. While at Simpson, Carver studied grammar, arithmetic, etymology, voice, and piano.


His primary instruments included the mouth harp, accordion and piano. One year George Washington Carver even toured as a pianist to raise money for the then Tuskegee Institute. It is also reputed that he once performed a piano concert at Carnegie Hall.

Carver's Favorite Poem, "Equipment" by Edgar A. Guest

Figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You've all that the greatest of men have had,
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes
And a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment they all began,
So start for the top and say, "I can."
 

Look them over, the wise and great
They take their food from a common plate,
And similar knives and forks they use,
With similar laces they tie their shoes.
The world considers them brave and smart,
But you've all they had when they made their start.
 

You can triumph and come to skill,
You can be great if you only will.
You're well equipped for what fight you choose,
You have legs and arms and a brain to use,
And the man who has risen great deeds to do
Began his life with no more than you.
 

You are the handicap you must face,
You are the one who must choose your place,
You must say where you want to go,
How much you will study the truth to know.
God has equipped you for life, but He
Lets you decide what you want to be.
 

Courage must come from the soul within,
The man must furnish the will to win.
So figure it out for yourself, my lad.
You were born with all that the great have had,
With your equipment they all began,
Get hold of yourself and say: "I can." 

Printable Documents

Carver Festival 2024

Printable Announcement (pdf)

Download

Request for Sponsors and Contributors (pdf)

Download

Sponsorship/Contribution Form (pdf)

Download

The Festival Team

Steering Committee Leadership

Steering Committee Leadership

Steering Committee Leadership

 

Rev. William C. Lennard 

Carver Festival Board Chairman

Robert L. “Bobby” Davis

Festival Steering Committee Chair

Dr. Elaine C. Harrington

Festival Secretary


Parade Coordinators

Steering Committee Leadership

Steering Committee Leadership

Jacquelyn Carlisle

Ella Cowart 

Jan Fountain

Vendor Coordinator

Steering Committee Leadership

Live Entertainment Coordinator

Annie Finney 

Febreu Holston 


Live Entertainment Coordinator

Live Entertainment Coordinator

Live Entertainment Coordinator

Nathaniel Knight 

Science Fair Coordinators

Live Entertainment Coordinator

Festival Queen Coordinators

Janet T. Sullen 

David Banks 


Festival Queen Coordinators

Live Entertainment Coordinator

Festival Queen Coordinators

Dr. Elaine C. Harrington

Magdalene Patton

Leslie Trimble

Festival Picture Gallery

Copyright © 2018 Carver Festival - All Rights Reserved.

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