NATCHEZ &8212; A longtime admirer of pottery, Amanda Jeansonne now has become a potter.

She will be among the artists showing their work at the Saturday Art & Soul fine arts festival in downtown Natchez.

On Wednesday, Jeansonne and several other students of nationally acclaimed potter Connor Burns of Natchez opened the kiln at the pottery studio &8212; always an exciting time, she said.

&8220;We all are amazed at what we do. Everyone has developed their own style,&8221; she said.

For 20 years, Jeansonne has traveled once a year to a pottery show in Fairhope, Ala.

&8220;I&8217;ve always loved pottery. I love to use it,&8221; she said. &8220;Three years ago, when I got a card in the mail about pottery classes, I guess I was the first one to sign up,&8221; she said. &8220;It&8217;s wonderful to have that opportunity in Natchez.&8221;

In addition to potters, the festival will include artworks such as paintings, jewelry, glass, photography, woodwork, and mixed media.

Tammi Gardner, executive director of the Downtown Development Association, said the festival has grown since its debut in 2005.

&8220;We&8217;ve come up a way with our music this year, for one thing,&8221; she said.

Music will begin Friday at 6 p.m. with Will Kimbrough performing until 8 p.m. Theresa Anderson will perform from 8 to 10 p.m.

On Saturday, art booths and food booths will be open beginning at 10 a.m.

First on the Saturday lineup will be Shining Star Gospel Singers, 10 a.m. to noon. The Maggie Brown Band, a local favorite, will perform 1 to 3 p.m. Henry Turner will take the stage from 3 to 5 p.m.

And for the evening hours, Country Fried will play 6 to 8 p.m. and Grooveline, 8 to 10 p.m.

&8220;An addition to the festival this year is the poetry contest,&8221; Gardner said. &8220;Co-Lin conducted the contest. There was an outside judge from New Orleans. There were 300 entries from all over the United States and Canada.&8221;

A number of special events will take place during the festival on Saturday, Gardner said. For one, Christine Johnson is bringing a tango team to perform from 5 to 6 p.m.

T-shirts, $12 each, and posters, $10 each, will be for sale throughout the festival.

A 5K run will begin at 8 a.m., with pre-registration at 7:30 a.m. at the corner of Main and Pearl streets. Registration is $25 per person.