CAMDEN – The annual Country Roads Arts and Artisans Tour of art studios in Midcoast will be held next weekend.

The tour, which runs Sept. 17-19, offers the public an open invitation to visit 22 master artists and artisans in their studios. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The free tour provides a chance to watch as beautiful and unique pieces are made and to chat with their creators. It also presents an opportunity to look for early holiday gifts, unique embellishments and furnishings for the home, a special memento of a Maine visit, and fine artwork.

Light refreshments will be served at every stop. In addition, freshly made lunches and baked goods will be on sale all three days in the center of Hope village. Proceeds will benefit the construction of an addition to the Hope School.

The tour encompasses the studios of craft designers and artists in Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville, Warren, Hope and Appleton.

These individuals create a wide variety of works, including fine jewelry, blown glass, paintings, metalwork, pottery, wooden furniture, weaving, sculpture, yacht models, photography and wine.

All of the studios will be marked by brightly colored banners throughout the tour weekend. A complete brochure with a map and color photos and descriptions of all 22 tour participants can be picked up at the Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce, the Rockland-Thomaston Chamber of Commerce, the studios of the participating artists, area bed-and-breakfasts and a number of other local businesses. The regular hours of each participant are also included in the brochure so that it can be used as a year-round guide to locate the crafts people and their studios.

For more information, call Lowrie Sargent at Rocky Coast Joinery, 763-4770, or visit www.artisanstour.com.