LEO-CEDARVILLE — Now in its sixth year, Bloom Fest will be a one-day marketplace for fine art, organic soaps and lotions, local produce and more.

“I’ve always found so much beauty in nature – I love the arts, I love nature,” Casey Bishop, organizer of Bloom Fest, said.

It took six months for the first Bloom Fest to go from the idea stage to actuality, but, said Bishop, “If you’re passionate about something, run with it.”

The festival has grown over the past few years; last year, attendance was 6,000-7,000 visitors with 133 booths. A similar number of booths is anticipated for this year. Parking will be in a mown field nearby.

Bishop was clear in saying that Bloom Fest is not a juried art fair. However, items offered for sale are “of a high calibre,” she said. One of her key goals is to make sure “the price point (is) affordable for the working person in Northeast Indiana.”

This is a similar philosophy held by Joe Pelka, a potter and acrylic paint artist living in Northeast Indiana. “Everybody should be able to afford art,” he said.

As a youth, Pelka explained that he was good at working with his hands. His passion for art and crafts grew, and he became a professional potter.

Pelka was careful to differentiate utilitarian pottery from art pottery. While utilitarian pottery is used for tableware and serving ware, art pottery is generally not food safe. It is, however, collectible.

“There (are) a lot of people who collect artworks,” Pelka said.

Every person will have a unique interpretation of Pelka’s pottery pieces, and Pelka loves that. “Lots of people have lots of ideas of what it is – exactly what an artist is supposed to do: inspire thought!” he exclaimed.

When asked about how long it takes to make one pot, Pelka said that the timeline varies. “You throw a bunch of pots on a Monday, trim them Tuesday or Wednesday, and start firing them later,” he laughed. “It’s a process. If you come into my studio and it’s clean, I’m not working. If it’s messy … It’s a good sign.”

Bloom Fest will be 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 12. In addition to merchandise, there will also be live music, food trucks, and activities for kids. Bloom Fest is held at Riverside Gardens Park in Leo-Cedarville. Parking is $5. To learn more, go to www.bloomfest.org.