Thousands flock to Washington Craft Fair

WASHINGTON – Saturday proved to be a perfect day to head to Washington’s Central Park and peruse one of the roughly 145 vendors that set up for the Fall Craft Fair.

Washington Chamber of Commerce Director Michelle Redlinger estimated the number of attendees was slightly higher than last year’s figure of around 4,000 people. She said the event had a steady crowd throughout the day, thanks to fair weather and the Iowa-Iowa State game – which often conflicts with the craft fair – happening in Ames this year rather than Iowa City. Whatever the exact number, she said sellers were pleased with Saturday’s turnout as well.

“Typically, we don’t have vendors leave early … but we had one of our vendors completely sell out by 1:30,” she said. “We don’t always know how things will go and it can be hit-and-miss, but there were definitely some vendors that I know sold out of all, or darn near a lot of their stuff, it was great.”

The craft fair is an opportunity to pick up merchandise you can’t find anywhere else. It’s also a great time to enjoy a succulent dish courtesy of several local food vendors, such as Gaby and Marcelo Palacios’s booth “A Treat from Mexico.” The Palacios family became known at the Washington Farmers Market for its elote (Mexican street corn), and they also sell drinks such as horchata, aguas frescas, chicken tamales and steak tacos. The couple said they’ve been participating in the craft fair ever since they started their booth in 2012.

“People come from other counties to eat our tacos,” Marcelo said.

Vivian Diveney of Muscatine had come to the craft fair once before, and said she came back because Washington is such a great place to do business.

“No other market is like this,” she said.

Diveney was there selling her Fizzy Fusion drinks and Bitzy’s Bitz, which are freeze-dried candy.

Des Moines resident Joan Sinali set up a booth to sell merchandise from her native Kenya and nearby Uganda. This included baskets made from grass, animal figurines made from soapstone, and earrings made from cow bones.

Laurie Borland of rural Iowa City was there representing her business LJ Customs, a hobby of hers she began in retirement. She said she keeps coming back to the craft fair because the Washington Chamber is good to work with, and she likes showing off her creations that include decorative wreaths and items like a witch’s hat.

“I like working with my hands, and I need a creative outlet,” she said.

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Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com

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