THOMASVILLE — Thomasville Center for the Arts (TCA) will hosts the 19th year of the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival and bring 65 of the world’s best sporting and wildlife artists to the city Friday through Nov. 23.

TCA has added lectures and workshops to the this year’s Festival weekend, Preview Party and Bird Dog Bash.

New to the weekend will be a “Wildlife Conversations” speaker series.

Fly-fishing master Bernard “Lefty” Kreh will speak twice and give casting demonstrations throughout the weekend. He is an angler who teaches fishing enthusiasts the art of casting.

James Prosek, an artist, writer and naturalist famous for his book Trout: An Illustrated History will also host two lectures.

Eldridge Hardie, of Denver, Colo., is this year’s featured artist. A leader in the sporting arts field, Hardie brings his own bird hunting and fly-fishing expeditions to life in his paintings.

Highlights of the festival include birds of prey flight shows, the “Snakes Alive” show with Steve Scrooges and access to view all art for purchase.

Additional events on Friday include the “Women of Wildlife Artist Painting Workshop” with wildlife painters Peggy Everett, Amy Poor, and Lyn St. Clair at Studio 209 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; the “Meet the Master” cooking class with Sea Island’s Master French Chef Jonathan Jerusalmy. Jerusalmy will demonstrate how to cook local game and harvest at Sweet Grass Dairy’s Cheese Shop. 11 a.m.; the “Opening Night Preview Party” offers patrons early access to exhibiting artists. 7 p.m.

On Nov. 22 there are the following: “Wildlife Flora Class” with Ed Blissard, landscape and living arrangement designer of Tallahassee’s Purple Martin Outpost. Blissard will teach how to make arrangements out of the season’s natural elements at Studio 209. 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.; and, the Bird Dog Bash is an open-air event with live music by Tobacco Road Band at 7 p.m.

For more information or to purchase tickets, go to pwaf.org.