Art of crafting
Shows are organized differently
Contributing writer
Hundreds of artisans will be exhibiting and selling their work at this weekend’s 56th annual Arts and Crafts Fair in Hillsboro and 47th annual Art in the Park in Marion.
In Hillsboro, exhibitors are selected by a committee of judges and invited to bring handcrafted products to Hillsboro for a nationally recognized craft show.
Experts come from each coast to display and sell their handiwork and one-of-a-kind creations.
Local food from 24 sanctioned concessions adds flavor to event. There’s something for every palate, from Hillsboro’s famous smoked sausage, zwieback, and bierocks to kettle corn, roasted almonds, freshly squeezed lemonade, and funnel cakes.
Featured categories include home décor, garden art, wood crafts, jewelry, gifts, seasonal décor, bath and spa, clothing, food, and items for babies and children.
Marion doesn’t require vendors to prove that their handiwork is their own but still features a variety of items.
“We have people who’ve been coming for years,” event organizer Margo Yates said. “And we try to have a good variety of crafts and food for shoppers while also trying to avoid vendors competing with the same things.”
Shoppers will have a chance to meet and talk with vendors in a relaxed environment while searching for a special piece of artwork to grace their homes.
At one point, Marion limited vendors the way Hillsboro does. But as older vendors opted out, not a lot of younger people took their places, Yates said.
“For that reason, we also opened it up to other sales,” she said. “We have changed with the times to include non-traditional craft sales.”
Even with some vendors having factory-made items, there still are plenty of unique and unusual selections for shoppers this year, Yates said.
Those range from reclaimed furniture and yard art to gourmet dishes and comfort foods.
A few examples of the more unusual picks include one-of-a-kind seed bead necklaces, vinyl signs made with antique windows, and combining crystals with seashells.
Patrick Thibodeau of Herington will be a first-time vendor in Marion.
“As a spectator, I have been to the Hillsboro and Marion shows for a couple of years,” he said. “I’m new to this and I don’t usually go out and sell my stuff, but I decided I’m going to do a craft show once in my life.”
Thibodeau likes to make garden benches, herringbone coffee tables, and cat litter boxes. Recently, he put a litter box in his front room.
“A week later, a lady was dropping something off at the house for a fundraiser and saw the litter box,” he said.
The woman said, “Oh, how cute. May I have one?”
After that, he had orders to build three more litter boxes.
At Marion, the majority of vendors are from Kansas, but there are others from Colorado and Oklahoma.
“A big draw is to Clemo Haddox’s rustic yard art made of rock and iron,” Yates said. “He’s from South Coffeyville, Oklahoma”
Will Young is another vendor from out-of-state. He will be selling necklaces, crystals with seashells, and rock polishing.
“Karen Goossen of Peabody is returning this year also with bierocks, jellies, and rock jewelry,” she said. “She was missed last year by visitors because of a prior engagement. We are glad she is returning.”
Coming for a second year is a vendor from El Dorado with a booth selling duck calls.
“This person is a lot of fun,” Yates said. “Barbara Gable of Newton has hand-painted landscapes of Arkansas and Kansas, and a Galva vendor will be back with wine barrels.”
Food booths are another draw.
“Vista Burger from Manhattan will be here, and I am pleased we are having Flint Hills Technical College of Emporia here making culinary dishes,” Yates said.
The college will have breakfast items Saturday, serving French toast, bacon bourbon syrup, and a fresh berry compote. Later in the day, it will serve Philly steak with scratch cheese sauce on a hoagie and Waldorf chicken salad on a gourmet bun.
Hillsboro vendors must apply between March 1 and Aug. 1. Party-based and multi-level marketing businesses are not allowed. Nor are flea-market and antique items.
Applicants must submit three to five photos of their products, including at least one showing the applicant working on the product and one showing supplies used.
All booths are required to have fire extinguishers and to file sales tax returns.
In Marion, Yates recruits vendors throughout the year, joining 12 to 15 arts and craft sites online to locate them.
“I spend a lot of time on Facebook responding to vendors looking for shows, and I reach out to get vendors to our show,” she said.
Deadline isn’t hard and fast.
“Depending on who it is and what they have for sale, I will let them in,” Yates said. “Others might hold off to see what the weather looks like for that weekend or what’s on their schedule.”
Adding Sunday to make it a two-day event in Marion was done about five years ago, Yates said.
“Not all the vendors stay the second day, but others present visitors with new attractions on Sunday,” Yates said.
This year’s Art in the Park will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The Arts and Crafts Fair in Hillsboro will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.