A Fall River craft fair is reaching a big milestone and has grown into the largest of its kind in southern New England, drawing thousands of visitors and handmade work from crafters across the region.
The Fiftieth Annual Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair will be held at Durfee High School on December 5th and 6th. The two-day event, sponsored by the Fall River Scholarship Foundation, will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. There is no admission charge and plenty of free parking.
Over the past 50 years, the Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair has celebrated the handmade work of 8,000 crafters from throughout New England. The success and continuity of the Fair is attributed to the warm welcome from local residents and the showcase setting of the Luke Urban Field House. Three crafters from New York have recently signed up for this year’s Fair.
James Rogers, founder and director of the Fair, noted that the Craft Fair began at Connolly High School where Reverend Richard Wolf, S.J., was principal. The Fair soon outgrew its capacity to hold more crafters. John Correiro, Superintendent of Schools, invited the Fair to use the Field House of Durfee High School, where they continue to hold the annual Fair.
The Christmas Crafts Fair has grown into the largest event of its kind in southern New England. Over 8,000 people attended last year.
There will be twenty classes of crafts at the Fair. They range from hand-thrown pottery, carved wooden items, and painted glass to floral arrangements, Native American crafts, and handmade clothes. Most of the items are one-of-a-kind, as they are handmade by the crafters.
Throughout the years, crafters have touted the Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair as the best place to showcase their handmade items at the best-selling time of the year. The Fair focuses on amateur crafters, the “mom and pop” crafters who wish to showcase their talents in a community setting. There are also many professional crafters who participate in the Fair.
Applications for this year’s Craft Fair are available at www.fallriverscholarship.com
Over fifty volunteers, including the Durfee Orchestra, have agreed to assist during the two-day fair. If you wish to volunteer, please email Jim Rogers at jimanddee@omcast.net today.
