If you’re looking for a craft fair this weekend that has just the right mix of variety and scale the annual Cataline Christmas Craft Fair may be just for you.
With no entry fee, the fair offers 28 homegrown vendors and a full concession provided by the school. Each of the vendors has also donated an item for the fair’s door prizes, with all proceeds going towards the installation of new playground equipment for Cataline Elementary School.
Cataline’s Parent Advisory Council (PAC) organizes the annual fair, with treasurer Robin Ford co-chairing the event this year. Ford’s own son is in Grade 5 at Cataline, which inspired her to become more involved in the school.
“I love craft fairs and I thought this is a great way to help out in our community,” Ford said.
While Ford admits their current number of 28 vendors isn’t as big as previous years, she says the trade-off is that attending vendors have far more table space and were able to bring more items for sale. The vendor’s donating items for the door prize is also the reason that the fair doesn’t charge admission, she added.
Read More: Cataline Craft Fair hub of student fundraising
Most of the vendors who will be at Cataline are home-based vendors, with only an Epicure and Tupperware vendors breaking this trend. One thing Ford said they tell all their vendors, however, is to operate under the cash and carry model, with a large amount of product available to purchase at the table.
“We want people to come in, see the vendors and then actually come out with the product. We don’t want them to have to sit there and fill out a form,” Ford said. “We wanted to make sure if we did have those vendors this year they have a lot for people to just take home directly from there.”
The number of people in Williams Lake who come to craft fairs, on both sides of the table, never cease to amaze Ford and in her opinion offers great Christmas shopping all around.
Ford describes the concession they offer at the fair as “awesome” and that they will be serving chilli in a bun, hot dogs, baked goods with coffee and tea.
“If you’re hungry come down and get your belly filled while you craft,” Ford quipped.
Occurring Saturday, Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ford said that she hopes everyone who comes to the fair maximizes their profits, be it the PAC raising money for equipment, the vendors selling their wares or the craft fair enthusiasts touring the various markets.
She believes that if this year is successful more vendors will come to Cataline next year to the point where they could expand from the gymnasium out into the hallways of the school.
“There’s a lot of individuals that maybe can’t work in the normal 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. position and they have wonderful artistic talents. Craft fairs are a great way for them to contribute to their home income and allowing them to have a more creative outlet than a regular job,” Ford said.
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patrick.davies@wltribune.com
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