4th Annual Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival

The Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival, known as WEWA, is back for its fourth year, offering a unique chance for attendees to engage with a legendary quilt maker whose work holds significant importance in American art history.

This year, for the first time, participants can join a three-hour quilting workshop hosted by the renowned Gee’s Bend Quilters. During the session, which takes place on Saturday, October 25th from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts, attendees will learn the basics of quilting and create a 12×12 quilt to take home as a memorable keepsake.

The cost for this workshop is $100, and there’s a limit of 30 participants. You can sign up online through the WEWA website.

Jennifer Eifert, director of The Kelly, expressed her excitement: “We’re thrilled to have Gee’s Bend quilters come to Wetumpka for this year’s festival and share their incredible artistry. These are truly world-class artists whose work has achieved international acclaim. Learning from them and interacting with them on a personal level is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The quilters from Gee’s Bend have gained global recognition for their craft. Just recently, the Gee’s Bend Broadcast Quilt Festival was developed to celebrate this legacy, connecting their quilt-making to the area’s rich history, including its ties to America’s last slave ship, the Clotilda, and the Civil Rights Movement.

Kim V. Kelly, executive director of Freedom Quilting Be Legacy, highlighted the festival’s value: “The Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival gives participants the chance to engage in quilting workshops and connect with artisans from Gee’s Bend, who teach about the art of quilt-making and share the cultural and historical significance of their community.”

Admission to the 2025 Wetumpka Arts Festival is free, although some premium workshops—like the quilting workshops—do have a fee and require reservations. Additionally, there will be various workshops, including basket making and presentations on fall gardening.

Festival attendees can also look forward to live painting by five artists, raptor demonstrations by Raptors Ridge Wildlife Education, and the “Animal Encounters” exhibit alongside a bow-making demonstration by Skip Plumlee. Musical entertainment will be provided by River Dan and Joe Hare.

Four groups—Covey Flush, Madison and Co. Dog Trainers, Artemis Runs Kennel, and Golbeck Gundogs—will present sport dog demonstrations throughout the festival.

Running until November 8, visitors can enjoy the art exhibition ‘Art Gone Wild’.

The DockDogs event returns to Wetumpka on Friday, October 24, and Saturday, October 25, featuring three types of competitions:

• Big Air – the canine aquatic long jump.
• Extreme Vertical – likened to a high jump for dogs.
• Speed Retrieve – a timed event that combines running, jumping, swimming, and retrieving.

The finals for the DockDogs Big Air Pro, Semi-Pro, Contender, and Amateur divisions are set for October 25 at 3 p.m.

Additionally, the Alabama Black Belt Adventure Association, along with members from the championship fishing team of the University of Montevallo’s Chancellor’s Outdoor Scholars Program, will provide casting lessons at the WEWA booth. Youth participants can look forward to taking home Zebco Ready Pack rods and reels.

“We are excited to bring quilters from Gee’s Bend to Wetumpka for our annual Wildlife Arts Festival,” said Pam Swanner, director of Alabama Black Belt Adventures, which supports WEWA and the annual Quilt Festival. “The resourceful women of Gee’s Bend are true black belt treasures. Participants in our quilting workshops will walk away with an unforgettable piece of fabric art.”

For more details about the festival, you can visit the WEWA website.