Three big holiday craft fairs on tap for this weekend

'Tis the season for holiday wreaths, handmade crafts and home-baked pies.

This weekend, shoppers will have ample opportunity to get all three and much more, as vendors from near and far converge on Cape Girardeau for a variety of craft fairs.

Three events will take place at five area locations. Each event has been part of the local holiday shopping tradition for decades, each will feature local and out-of-state vendors, and each have something different to offer, , organizers say.

46th annual Christmas Arts and Crafts Extravaganza

Organized by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, this event spans two locations -- the Show Me Center and the Osage Centre -- and remains the longest-running and largest craft fair in the region, said Murielle Gaither, executive director of the Arts Council.

Now in its 46th year, the event was started by Otto F. Dingeldein just a few years after founding the Arts Council.

"He found there was a very strong artist community and a strong need for a place where folks could come together and sell their items, and where people could buy high-quality handcrafted goods," Gaither said. "It was the beginning of the 'buy local, shop local' movement."

The craft show is juried, and the merchandise is inspected to ensure products are handmade and local. Jurors will select a vendor as Best in Show at both locations.

"We take it very seriously," Gaither said. "And we really think it's part of our duty to provide an educational experience."

As a result, the artists must be present at the booth to talk about their process and answer questions.

The cost for vendors varies depending on the size of the booth, and prices are scheduled to go up a bit next year. Prices in 2017 will range from $120 to $190.

Last year, the event brought in more than 14,000 shoppers, according to the Arts Council website.

The Christmas Arts and Crafts Extravaganza will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Wristbands that allow entry to both locations for both days cost $5. Children 12 and younger are admitted free.

Proceeds will benefit the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.

River Valley Craft Club Craft Fair

The A.C. Brase Arena Building will be filled to the brim with artists and crafters from all over the nation as the River Valley Craft Club holds its 44th annual craft fair.

"We're using every bit of the Arena Building," said Rick Werner, an organizer for the event. "The bleachers, the balcony and, of course, the floor."

The club's crafters travel from far and wide to attend the fair, Werner said.

"It's a big event," he said.

More than 300 tables will be set up for the weekend, filled with any number of goods.

"You name it, we got it," Werner said, noting there will be everything from pottery and stitchery to folk art and wreaths.

In addition to handmade goods, the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri will be on hand for a mobile adoption, the kitchen will offer homemade food and Santa Claus will make an appearance and be available for pictures, Werner said.

In the nearby 4-H Building in Arena Park, other vendors also will be on hand to sell non-craft items.

It's an opportunity to promote small businesses and "support our mom and pop stores, which nobody does anymore," Werner said. "So we try to give them an avenue to advertise their store and sell their stuff."

Vendors at the River Valley Craft Club event pay $50 for a 4-by-8-foot space.

"We try to keep our prices down," Werner said, "and make it economical for our crafters."

Werner expects to see a good crowd for the holiday-heavy event.

"We'll have Christmas music, and when you come in, we'll try to get you in the holiday spirit," he said.

The craft fair takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $5 for the weekend and $3 for Sunday only.

Crafts, Gifts and Collectibles Show

The organizers of the holiday craft show at Notre Dame Regional High School have arranged for an event longer than the weekend's other craft fairs, opting to begin Friday evening rather than Saturday morning.

Event promoter Deana Pecord stressed students' involvement in the weekend's events. Volunteers load more than 200 vendors into the building Friday afternoon and load them out Sunday.

"We try to impress upon our students here at Notre Dame to be of service. We try to make them into apostles," Pecord said. "This is one way that is practical for them to ... spend a couple hours helping people load their things into Notre Dame. It creates community awareness of what we're doing, and it's goodwill in the community."

Vendors pay $50 to $150 for their place in the show, depending on the size of their booths.

Proceeds for the event will benefit the Notre Dame Performing and Visual Arts department, plus Toys For Tots, Soldier Packages, Toy Box and Christmas for the Elderly.

Another thing that sets the Crafts, Gifts and Collectibles Show apart from others in the area, she said, is the kitchen.

Homemade cakes and pies will be baked and packaged throughout the weekend by what Pecord calls the Notre Dame "baking team."

"These women are the best," Pecord said. "The most amazing coconut cream pie you've ever tasted. ... The pecan pie is to die for."

Ingredients for the desserts are donated by Notre Dame students.

In its 21st year, the event is expected to draw 4,000 to 5,000 visitors throughout the weekend.

The Crafts, Gifts and Collectibles Show runs from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The cost is $1 on Friday and Saturday and free Sunday. On the final day, it will also offer free face painting and a chance for photos with Santa and his elves.

bbrown@semissourian.com

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