Fredericksburg’s much-loved Pottery Throwdown is back this year — and better than ever.
After nearly being canceled over street-closure changes and with a new fall date replacing last year’s sweltering summer event, a determined group of local potters and volunteers has brought the local ceramic art festival back to life.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Hurkamp Park will fill with nearly 30 ceramic artists, live wheel-throwing and decorating demos, musical performances, and handmade pottery of every kind, from everyday dinnerware to gallery-worthy art pieces.
This year’s Throwdown is organized by potters D.D. Lecky and Kevin Rodrigue, along with Rodrigue’s wife, Crystal Rodrigue, who helps coordinate the event and handle logistics. The trio took over the festival last year and has been determined to keep the community-driven tradition alive.
(Photo courtesy DD Lecky)
“It’s a real arts event,” Kevin Rodrigue said. “It’s very grassroots … It’s very much about the artist and about downtown Fredericksburg and the community that we have here.”
The event’s roots trace back to 2017, when longtime potters Trista Chapman, owner of Sophia Street Studios, and Dan Finnegan, founder of LibertyTown Arts Workshop, launched what was then called the Sophia Street Pottery Throwdown.
“I’d been thinking that maybe Fredericksburg would be a good place to start a little show that would be all pottery,” Chapman said. “And in doing that, it would support the local pottery scene.”
Now rebranded as FXBG Pottery Throwdown, the event has grown into a cornerstone of Fredericksburg’s arts calendar, celebrating both the region’s enthusiastic pottery community and the spirit of creative collaboration that keeps it thriving. In fact, FXBG Pottery Throwdown is one of only a handful of ceramics-based art markets within Virginia.
The event is free to attend, and everyone is welcome to stop by and explore. Kids can even get hands-on during some of the demos. A schedule of events will be posted on the day of the event, so visitors can make note of which performances or demos they’d like to check out.
Accessibility is central to the Throwdown’s mission. Artists know that finances are tight for many in our community and have resolved to offer items at a variety of price points.
“Everything from the functional pieces used every day in your household to true art pieces that hang on the wall,” Rodrigue said.
Lecky also encourages visitors to get ideas, even if they might not be able to purchase items at the event. “A lot of these people make pots all year long and will be at various markets,” she said. “So, if you can’t buy right now, you can definitely buy in the future.”
That wide-ranging selection is part of what makes the event special, said Neal Reed, a potter and instructor at LibertyTown Arts Workshop.
“I think there will be a tremendous variety of good pots from local potters,” Reed said. “I have been unloading the kilns at LibertyTown and have seen most of them.”
For newer artists, the Throwdown also offers a chance to grow and gain confidence. Maral Noori, who first participated last year, called it “a fantastic community event.”
“It’s not just an opportunity to connect with local shoppers, but also a chance to spend quality time with fellow potters,” she said. “Contrary to what some might assume, the pottery community in the Fredericksburg area is incredibly supportive.”
Noori described her first experience at last year’s Throwdown as especially meaningful for an emerging artist.
“I genuinely enjoyed seeing people connect with my pieces so deeply that they were inspired to purchase them,” she said. “It brought me immense joy and pride to realize my skills had developed to the point where I could sell my creations.”
As anyone who’s taken classes or tried their hand at open studio time at LibertyTown can attest, our local artists are incredibly supportive and always eager to share tips and tricks. “It’s like any kind of art form that requires knowledge passing,” Lecky explained. “It’s like you can’t be stingy or greedy with your knowledge. You have to be generous . . . Somebody has to teach somebody how to do it.”
That openness is part of what makes the Throwdown special. Visitors are encouraged to linger, ask questions, and chat with the potters about their process.
What is unique about pottery compared to other art forms is that it requires expensive, specialized equipment, as Rodrigue explained. “You know, pottery requires a big investment to do it alone. So, it’s better as a community if you all come together and share the cost.”
For Chapman, Fredericksburg’s pottery community is more than creative — it’s deeply personal. Her late husband, potter Phil Chapman, whom she met at her very first pottery show, helped shape the city’s early ceramics scene alongside Dan Finnegan. The support she received from the community when he became ill still resonates.
“Everybody that knew Phil loved Phil,” she said. “They did a big fundraiser. They came around with their arms and just hugged us … I always tell people I could never leave this town. It’s an incredible community of artists and people that just care.”
