Twice the shopping: Double the fun

Don’t have time to create hand-made crafts and goodies for loved ones this year?

Then be sure to take time this weekend to visit both the MARC Holiday Arts and Craft Fair and the Grand Center Gift Fair on Friday and Saturday.

Between the two venues, there are nearly 100 vendors sharing their wares.

The MARC’s Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair focuses on handcrafted goods “made by your neighbors”.

“There are no mass-produced products, pyramid scheme thingies, or anything someone picked up at a yard sale. Everyone at the holiday arts and crafts fair honors the spirit of the event and vows to do their best to make it the merriest holiday arts and crafts fair ever,” said Laurie Collins, MARC director.

In order to sell at the fair, vendors have to promise that all items are made wholly by them or “their own personal conspirators in art and craft”.

“Everything must be made by human hands,” Collins said.

Over 50 local and regional artisans, bakers and crafters will be sharing their work: Glass work, wood work and metal work. Artisans will share photography, paintings, ceramics, textiles, sculptures, jewelry and baked goods.

Leigh Metz, ceramic artist, has shared her work at the MARC fair for the last few holiday seasons. She will be displaying Christmas ornaments, yard decorations and tile-topped tables.

“It’s always been a good show for me,” she said. “Moab really supports the local artists. It is the last hurrah of the season for local artists.”

She likes how both the MARC and the Grand Center have their fairs at the same time.

“Different people go to each one as vendors. I think most people go to both and shop both,” Metz said.

She also likes that there are smaller affordable tables for young artists.

“Young teens get together and sell together; our little entrepreneurs that are growing up here,” she said.

Santa Claus will be very busy Saturday, and will be using some of his North Pole magic in order to also be at both the MARC Holiday Arts and Craft Fair and the Grand Center Gift Fair.

The Grand Center Gift Fair is a two-part fundraiser for programming. The booth rental is a fundraiser for the Retired Service Volunteer Program; the Café is a fundraiser for the Grand Center.

The monies for RSVP allow for service activities, such as the Love Bag project for the Kids in Crisis program.

“We make homemade bags. The quilt guild makes quilts for children age infant to thirteen. Dentists donate toothbrushes and toothpaste. Hotels donate shampoos and soaps,” Ellis said. “The money lets us buy things like sippy cups and pacifiers. We fill them up and distribute them to the pregnancy center, Seekhaven, and the family support center. And they distribute them as they see fit for their programs.”

The money will also allow RSVP to make lap afghans for two new American Legion nursing homes that are opening in Utah, or meals for the National Guard Armory in Blanding.

The Café will feature Navajo tacos, hot dogs, chili dogs, Frito pie, chicken noodle soup and assorted pies. The proceeds from the café will support senior center programming.

“The seniors always have their bake sale table,” Ellis said. “And there are hand-made stick ponies for the kids. Laura Wright will have her peanut brittle, too.”

Author: Kristin Millis

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