In order to attract the highest quality artists to the annual TroyFest Art and Craft Festival, TroyFest offers a patron’s purchase program that honors highly acclaimed Troy folk artist, the late Jean Lake.

Leigh Anne Windham, Friends of Jean Lake Purchase Program chair, said the patron’s purchase program assures participating artists and crafters a certain level of sales will be made at the festival via pre-festival sales. And, the purchase program pays double dividends.

“There are two very important components of the Friends of Jean Lake Purchase Program,” Windham said. “First, the pre-festival sale of TroyFest Bucks guarantees sales for the artists so the purchase program is a great recruiting tool because money has already been committed to sales.

“Ninety percent of the Jean Lake Purchase Program sales is money spent with the artists and crafters. The second important component of the patron’s purchase program is that the other 10 percent of the pre-festival sales helps fund the annual Jean Lake Scholarship which is awarded by the Troy Arts Council.”

When artists and crafters know that a certain amount of money will definitely be spent with them, that makes TroyFest a festival of choice for some of the most outstanding artists and crafters in the area, Windham said.

“By becoming a ‘Friend of Jean Lake,’ you will encourage premier artist to participate at TroyFest and help strengthen our community as a cultural arts center,” she said.

And, there are incentives to become a “Friend of Jean Lake.” The Friends are recognized in all TroyFest publicity, including The Messenger’s special edition and TroyFest social media. The Friends of Jean Lake are listed on the patrons’ board that is front and center at TroyFest.

Patrons who contribute $100 and more are invited to the Artist Dinner and Party on the Saturday evening of the festival. Patrons who contribute $250 and more will receive a TroyFest canvas tote and a TroyFest T-shirt.

To become a Friend of Jean Lake, stop by Troy City Hall at 301 Charles W. Meeks Ave, in downtown Troy and purchase your TroyFest Bucks and then go on a spending spree at TroyFest on the square in downtown Troy from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Admission to TroyFest is free.

TroyFest is sponsored by the City of Troy, the Troy Arts Council and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce.