A fundraising event for two nonprofit institutions, the Catawba County Historical Association and the North Carolina Pottery Center, the 10th Annual Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival will be held on Saturday, March 24, at the Hickory Metro Convention Center, I-40, Exit 125, Hickory, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets, available at the gate, are $6 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under.

The festival focuses on Southern traditional pottery, hosting 110 vendors offering old and new pottery, and antiques. Antiques dealers will be selling historical pottery, furniture, textiles, folk art and smalls. Contemporary potters will bring their wares. From a coffee mug to a great work of art to an important piece of history, traditional pottery and antiques will be available for purchase. Some folks come just to see the stunning flowers, freshly-clipped and arranged by a group of dedicated volunteers.

Special programming is planned for the festival's 10th birthday. Saturday will feature the "Amazing Book Signing" event. This is an opportunity for collectors to update their pottery libraries with signed copies. Several new books will be for sale. Attending authors will include Dr. Charlotte Brown, Blaka Abee, Dr. Charles Zug, and Dr. John Burrison, as well as others. There will also be a birthday event during which children can get their hands in clay.

Curated by Zug, author of "Turners and Burners: the Folk Potters of North Carolina," the 2007 tenth annual exhibition will feature face jugs. A lecture by John Burrison, author of "Brothers in Clay: The Story of Georgia Folk Pottery," will explore the history of these unusual folk art vessels.

Other educational programming includes a pottery identification booth, provided by the North Carolina Pottery Collectors Guild, and pottery demonstrations at limited times, as well as videos throughout the day.

The Catawba County Historical Association maintains the Catawba County Museum of History in Newton, the Bunker Hill Covered Bridge in Claremont, Historic Murray's Mill in Catawba, and the Harper House/Hickory History Center.

The North Carolina Pottery Center is located in Seagrove, in the center of North Carolina. Its mission is to interpret the history and ongoing tradition of North Carolina pottery, as well as studio pottery. The Center features interpretive exhibits and programs and provides visitor information on the nearly 100 potteries located in the Seagrove area.

For further information on the 2007 festival, call 828-322-3943.