DOYLESTOWN, PA — More than 60 tile makers from around the world, including one from St. Petersburg, Russia, will be showcasing their works this weekend at TileFest 2026.
For two days, the grounds of Henry Mercer’s TileWorks on Swamp Road in Doylestown will be transformed into an international marketplace of tile-making, with hands-on experiences and a chance to purchase tiles to take home.
"You'll never see a collection of contemporary tiles like this anywhere in the country. This is the last remaining tile festival," said Katia McGuirk, executive director of the TileWorks of Bucks County. "Everything is original. You won't see two tiles that are alike. They reflect the region where they are made and something of the maker. And there's something for everyone. I would call it eye candy," she said.
"The festival is also a chance for the public to sprinkle a little love on the Moravian Pottery and TileWorks and to spread the word that we're out here and carrying on Henry Mercer's tradition," she added. "This is a county-owned gem."
This year's festival theme, "Tiles of the Nation Maker," celebrates the ordinary men and women who shaped the nation throughout its 250-year history, and highlights the way tiles have captured social, political, and cultural life across humanity, throughout human history, and today.
(Jeff Werner/Patch)
(Courtesy of the TileWorks)
Throughout the weekend, visitors will be able to meet and talk with tile makers from around the nation, take in a "Pizza Oven Building Demonstration," and watch demonstrations on how to make mosaic tiles by "Art Revolution In Tile."
One of the more popular events is "The Great Tile Throw Down," which invites visitors to make their own tiles. The tiles are then donated to TileWorks, with the top tiles fired and put on display at TileFest the following year.
"It's an opportunity for any age, any skill level to make a tile while they are here and leave it as a donation to the TileWorks," said McGuirk.
Admission also includes free tours of the historic tilery, a bluegrass concert on Sunday from 12 to 3 p.m., access to the international marketplace, and an exhibit," Dig It! Wild Clay and Our Creative Engagement With Nature."
Tickets are $10, which includes admission to both days of the festival. Children under eight and members are admitted free of charge. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The Moravian Pottery and Tile Works is located at 130 East Swamp Road in Doylestown. For more information, click here.
Between 1911 and 1912, Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930) built the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works to “master the potter’s art and establish pottery under personal control.”
The success of the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works rested on Mercer's pure genius. With a small capital investment, relatively inexpensive operating costs, and an ability to produce a range of wares that made the best use of biotechnology, the pottery produced unique tiles that were praised by critics and sought after by architects.
The honest, hand-made quality of his work fully expressed the ideals of the American Arts and Crafts Movement, elevating Mercer to one of the movement’s most important proponents. His tiles were emblematic of the survival, or rebirth, of the handcraft tradition.
By the turn of the century, he was recognized as a premier maker of “artistic” tiles. For the next thirty years, his work was sought out by leading architects and tastemakers to decorate public and private buildings all across the country. Mercer’s pioneering influence was far-reaching and still affects many tilemakers today.
(Jeff Werner/Patch)
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