On the second Saturday of July each year, hundreds of people come to the Watershed campus for a memorable picnic—and carry home one of 550 hand-crafted plates as a souvenir of this special day. The plates are created by a dedicated artist-in-residence who spends the summer at Watershed making 550 plates for the Salad Days festival.

Visitors pick out a favorite plate and load it up with a delicious array of local foods—breads, locally sourced salads, and desserts—all prepared by area restaurants and Watershed’s cooks. In addition to the picnic lunch, Salad Days includes live music, artist demos, studio tours, a ceramics exhibition, and a pottery sale of fine-crafted ceramics made by Watershed artists from around the country.

You may purchase Salad Days tickets in advance or at Watershed during the event. Tickets are $40 and include lunch and a handmade plate by artist Kurt Anderson. Children five and under may attend for free, but do not receive a plate.