Going Strong: Craft show returns to Findley Lake Saturday
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FINDLEY LAKE – The Alexander Findley Community Library Fall Craft Show is still going strong after more than 30 years.
The festival, which has become widely anticipated and is considered an unofficial kick-off to the Christmas season, will take place on Saturday in the Findley Lake fire hall.
“I think hand crafted items will always be attractive to people simply because they’re made by human hands from human ideas,” said library manager Cala Glatz. “They have a much more substantial real-world presence, even if those items are of practical, everyday use.”
This year’s festival will have about 20 vendors, filling up at least 30 tables of goods, Glatz said. As always, there are a couple of new vendors, but also many veterans, such as Jim and Sandy Schoenfeldt who have come to this craft fair for nearly 30 years, as well as The Wyrd Sisters, who have made this show a regular venue.
Many visitors each year come from quite a distance, Glatz said, which might be challenging due to the price of fuel. “I’m sure it will be tricky for some people, but a lot of folks do some of their Christmas shopping at the show and around town, so they will still come out,” she said. “If they’re smart, they will carpool.”
One thing that has remained consistent throughout the decades has been the menu.
“The food is homemade, unless someone donating pies brings a store-bought one,” Glatz said. The menu is clearly a favorite of visitors because the kitchen sells out every year.
The craft fair also includes raffles.
“The main raffles are always the 50-50 and the vendor raffle, which we will be drawing at 3 p.m., so people can take their winnings home with them before the doors close at 4 p.m.," Glatz said. Other raffles vary from year to year, depending on any items that may be donated to raffle off, she added.
The library table will have some special raffles, three for adults and one for children, Glatz said. The table will also have more promotional materials than in the past.
“The library table will also be more focused on outreach, so people can learn more about all of the great things the library has to offer,” she said. “There will be simple crafts and coloring sheets, as well as some small toys and activities people can engage with while they visit their local librarian.”