Tuesday, October 14, 2025–9:55 a.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
On Monday, the Rome City Commission read a proclamation designating October as Chiaha Month.
For 60 years, the Chiaha Arts and Crafts Guild has supported and promoted the arts and local artists.
The Rome Area History Center is currently featuring a special exhibit showcasing the history of the Chiaha Harvest Fair and its cultural impact.
“At the end of the month, on Saturday, October 25, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., we will have an anniversary celebration upstairs at the museum,” said Andi Beyer with the Chiaha Arts and Crafts Guild. “Of course, we will have some kettle corn, and we will have hot apple cider. We are having a student art show, some vendors, and some demonstrating artists. We will also reveal the new and exciting direction that Chiaha is taking.”
Both the anniversary celebration and the Rome Area History Center are free and open to the public.
Although the guild is no longer holding the Chiaha Harvest Fair, the legacy will endure in new ways, as Monica Sheppard told the commission.
“We just want to say thank you to you guys and the entire community for the incredible support that Chiaha has experienced here in the 60 years of existence,” she said. “Even though we are all sad to see this tradition end, as it was, we are very excited to introduce you to what the future will hold.”
The mission of the Chiaha Guild of Arts and Crafts is to support arts and art education in the Rome/Floyd Community.
The Chiaha Arts Education Grant is available for PreK-12 public and private schools and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations located in Floyd County.