By David Esteppe
The 33rd Annual Art and Craft Show at the State Fair Event Center positions itself to fund several local causes with currently sold out vendor booths. The show will be held in the West Virginia State Fair Event Center from Oct. 10-12. With over 100 vendors signed up, there is a waiting list of vendors hoping to score a spot. According to one event coordinator, Joy Arbuckle, “We are excited about this being the second year we are sold out on spaces, and we have 22 new vendors.”
Each year, the sponsor for the show, Edgewood Presbyterian Church (EPC), uses the proceeds for several causes. Scholarships are given to local students, with the number and amount of each scholarship being based on how well each year’s proceeds develop. Usually from one to six scholarships are given to local students.
Artisans and craftsmen will come from all areas of West Virginia, but will also showcase handcrafted merchandise from Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. There will be homemade sweets and treats such as apple butter vended. A food court will provide an opportunity for eating on-site or take-away.
Arbuckle adds, “There is an excellent opportunity to knock out some Christmas shopping at this event because of the wide variety of merchandise the vendors bring to the show.” Door prizes are given away throughout the three day event.
Non-profits are selected each year by EPC to receive financial assistance based on their need, and they are awarded ten percent of the proceeds. Non-profits are invited to present materials to the admission table at the show or contact EPC to be considered as a future recipient of the assistance.
Additionally, money from the event will help fund the church’s Growth and Improvement Fund.
The admission is free to the three day event; though monetary donations are being accepted at the door as voluntary admission fees, and the non-profits of the year Greenbrier County Committee on Aging and the Children’s Home Society will also both have booths on-site to accept donations and provide information about their work.
The hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. For questions about the show or how to participate in donating or presenting a nonprofit for consideration of future support, call 304-392-6607.
