SAGUACHE - The beautiful Hollyhock Festival and Arts Walk took place on Saturday, July 26, in downtown Saguache. 

Many people strolled up and down the streets, admiring all the artwork. Children and adults wore clear sets of fairy wings as a portion of the festival includes tours of the popular fairy houses. There were various food and drink vendors set up.  

There were vendors with stained glass window paintings, vendors with hand blown glass of all colors and shapes, vendors with hand-painted signs. Some of the signs had pumpkins painted on them, and there were a few hand-painted signs with turkeys, and even one that had a Santa Claus hat on it, that stated “Ho, Ho, Ho.”  

One lady had a booth set up with glass vases, made in all different designs, including vases that looked like a cactus, a horseshoe, a teddy bear, and there was even a vase that looked like a smiling bumblebee. One art vendor had homemade jewelry with various animals on the necklaces.  

One vendor named Trina Council spoke about one of her paintings - a beautiful layered colored bird that she had painted, and her inspiration behind it. “I wanted to paint something with layers and colors. I used rice paper which is very thin paper but adds layers. I really enjoy working on different types of art, and also bringing pieces of wood back to life through my art.” 

Council also had art paintings that looked like flowing mountains splashed with colors, and she also had an intricate painting of a wolf that looked like it was standing in front of two moons. The wolf had many colors in his fur; he was rainbowed with beautiful layers and textures.  Council stated that although they hadn’t been super busy at the festival, she enjoyed visiting with everyone who had come to the event. 

The Saguache Sagebrush Quilters were also set up at the event, selling lovely pieces of material, along with handmade key chains, and decorated pens.   

Saguache’s official flower is the Hollyhock. The annual tradition of the Hollyhock Festival dates back to Byron Williams, a former Saguache resident and artist whose love for the flower inspired the event more than a decade ago.