The 7th annual Minnesota Pottery Festival will be held July 28 and 29, on the grounds of the Clay Coyote, a gallery and pottery studio, in Hutchinson. The hours on Saturday are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. This is a free event with free parking.

There will be 34 potters hailing from Minnesota and nine other states, six of them attending for their first time. The Featured Potter is Karin Kraemer, of Duluth. Kraemer is most well-known for her attention to detail which shines in her pottery. Her focus is Maiolica, an Italian, tin-glazed pottery dating from the Renaissance period. She will demonstrate the technique both days during the festival. Kraemer recently relocated to a new and bigger gallery and studio space in the Lincoln Park Crafts District of Duluth.

The 2018 Emerging Artist Potter is Aaron Becker, from Plymouth. By day, Becker works as a glaze-matching technician in the Twin Cities, but in his off time, he's creating. His current portfolio is made up of vases and pouring pots that question the ideas of containment as his artwork challenges the concept of form for utility versus form for aesthetic design. On why he would be a good Emerging Artist, Becker states, "I am completely dedicated to the life of clay and I hope this can be a good stepping stone in connecting with the greater, more established ceramics community."

Throughout the weekend there will be an assortment of interactive opportunities:

• Pottery Olympics-There will be four or five heats for festival potters competing in four-wheel challenges (tallest cylinder, widest bowl, widest platter and blindfold throwing). The first- and second-place prizes are provided by sponsors Continental Clay and Smith-Sharpe Fire Brick Supply, of Minneapolis.
• Raku Firing-Joe Frank McKee of Dillsboro, North Carolina, will be back to do live raku firing both days.
• Kids Station-Kids can get their hands dirty and make a piece that will be available for pick up two weeks following the festival.

The festival offers golf cart shuttles as well as many dedicated handicap spaces. There are also three complimentary electric vehicle charging stations (two Tesla and one universal). Food and beverages will be for sale provided by Crow River Winery and Red Cedar Farms.

The Minnesota Pottery Festival is an all-volunteer-run event that wouldn't be possible without grants provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council as well as corporate and individual donors and the hard work and dedication of more than 50 volunteers.

Cost: Free. Location: 17614 240th St., Hutchinson. For more information, call 320-587-2599 and for a complete list of potters in attendance, visit MNPotteryFestival.com.