Morgan Drinkard takes a deep breath and then sighs.

There’s just no way the publicity chair of TroyFest 2017 can encapsule the artists who will be featured at the art and crafts show this weekend that is one of the biggest and best juried shows in the region.

“The variety of the artists is equaled only by the quality of their work,” Drinkard said. “We have some of the best and most well-known artists in the region coming to TroyFest 2017 Saturday and Sunday in downtown Troy. Many of the 88 artists are back at TroyFest again this year. We refer to them as the “oldies and goodies” and that has nothing to do with their age – only that they have been a part of TroyFest for several years and they are as good as it gets.”

The mixture of the “oldies and goodies” and those new to TroyFest makes for a great festival each year.

TroyFest is held on the square in historic downtown Troy and includes a wide selection for arts and crafts, festival foods, entertainment and an activities’ area for kids while their parents stroll and shop.

Drinkard said this year’s TroyFest boasts of several new-to-the-festival artists.

“We are always excited to welcome new artists,” she said. “Ivy Kilpatrick and Cloud Farrow are two artists who will be here for the first time.

“Ivy is from Avondale Estates, Georgia. Her work demonstrates an assortment of techniques and mediums based on the circumstances of their creation.”

Kilpatrick uses oil paint, ink, pen, acrylic, colored pencil, watercolor, charcoal and encaustic.

“We are excited to have an artist with her versatility at TroyFest,” Drinkard said. “We are also excited to welcome Cloud Farrow. He is from Sand Rock and is a new artist in the graphics and drawing category who works in watercolor pencil and acrylic inks.

“Cloud’s describes himself as a detail-loving artist whose focus is history. He tries to capture the creative nature or ancestry.”

Larry Aldridge of Troy is also new to TroyFest this year. Drinkard said his technique is stylized in a sense and colorful and bold.

“You can’t look at Larry’s work and just walk on by,” she said. “We are glad to welcome a Troy artist to TroyFest.

Drinkard also mentioned Asher’s Elegant Designs as a newcomer to TroyFest.

“And, that’s just a few of the new artists who will be at TroyFest 2017,” she said. “There will be a listing of artists and a festival weekend schedule in the Friday edition of The Messenger. We invite everyone to come downtown Saturday and Sunday and take this opportunity to visit with the 88 extremely talented artists who are participating in TroyFest and see the amazing work they do.”

TroyFest weekend begins Thursday at 7 p.m. with a free concert on the Square. The festival opens to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free.