Washington to host 35th fall craft fair this weekend

WASHINGTON — Vendors will fill Washington’s square from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday Sept. 7 for the 35th Fall Craft Fair organized by the Washington Chamber of Commerce. The fair is a chance for creators and hobbyists to share all manner of products, selling everything from freeze-dried candy to metal yard art to baked goods to trading cards to clothes, to name just a few on this year’s list of booths.

Chamber Director Michelle Redlinger said there were around 135 vendors booked for the event, its highest attendance to date. She attributed the show’s growing popularity to word-of-mouth advertising between craftmakers, and said it offered a sweet spot for creators unable to attend major, multiday art festivals but seeking something bigger than their local farmers markets.

“I’ve heard from some of the people that other, larger shows can be too much,” Redlinger said. “Saturday from nine to three is a concise, easy time period to make work in their schedule … and I’ve had a number of people talk to me after events, and they just tell me that Washington is one of the best communities that they participate at.

“They’re like, ‘Your people and your community show up.’ I don’t know why or how, but there’s a really good reputation for the people that come and are purchasing the different crafts.”

The chamber director said she expected this year’s craft fair to be especially well attended thanks to favorable timing of the Iowa-Iowa State game, which sometimes overlaps with the schedule but won’t on Saturday.

In its 35 years, the fall craft fair has gone from a more or less routine vendor-centered event to a tradition reflecting the end of summer in the Washington community.

“If someone is crafty, maybe they want to come out and get ideas,” Redlinger said. “Or, if you are not crafty, like myself, and you want to get a head start on holiday gifts or just come check out some unique items, I think the craft fair is wonderful.”

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