By Chris Mays, Vermont Country Magazine.
WILMINGTON — Bright Lights Craft Fair has become synonymous with the holiday season in the Deerfield Valley.
It’s returning to Memorial Hall in Wilmington on Dec. 14, with a companion show the same day in Dover Town Hall.
Last year, I Love Art Space took over the art and craft show. Ellie Roden, with help from Mary Ann Barno, had previously put on the event from 2011 until the COVID-19 pandemic. The downtown organization Wilmington Works organized the show in 2022.
“We decided to bring it back,” said Jane Jones, who leads the nonprofit I Love Art Space. “We’re attempting to do four craft fairs every year.”
Bright Lights was the first show her group put on.
“It was good,” she said. “The attendance was not as good as what it was in the day, before it stopped. But you know, we have to build on it.”
Artists from last year were happy with the response, Jones said. Several are returning this year.
Although I Love Art Space opened a cooperative gallery in West Dover in August, the group decided it would keep the tradition of hosting Bright Lights at Memorial Hall. They also will help Jeanette Eckert, a member of the group, with her long-standing craft fair at Dover Town Hall the same day.
A raffle will be held at Bright Lights to benefit I Love Art Space. The show will feature items such as watercolor paintings, collages, paper-framed pieces, pottery, jewelry, jams, jellies, tables and other furnishings.
At the time of the interview, Jones anticipated Twin Valley High School students might host another fundraiser. Last year, a bake sale raised money for a class trip to the Galapagos Island.
“In the years we organized Bright Lights, high school kids came early in the morning and again late afternoon to help artists/crafters unload and load their cars,” Roden said. “The kids did it for community service credit and they were fabulous. The person in charge of the community service program expected those kids to be prompt, respectful and responsible, and they were. I was very impressed.”
With Santa visits and a holiday concert benefiting the Deerfield Food Pantry, Roden said, “it was always a busy weekend in downtown Wilmington and Memorial Hall was filled with lots of holiday spirit.” She recounted starting the craft fair at at time when the community was “still pretty dark after the flood caused by Tropical Storm Irene.”
“I wanted to give people a reason to come to town and also to generate some funds from crafters booth fees to give to the town,” she said, citing several local groups that received donations. “Then for the next nine years, we partnered with downtown businesses, which was a success for all involved.”
Roden said she was ready to step down and turned the craft fair over to Wilmington Works, which ran it for a year.
More fairs and bazaars
Robert Frost Stone House Holiday Makers Market (Shaftsbury)
On Nov. 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Robert Frost Stone House Museum at Bennington College (121 VT Route 7A, Shaftsbury), this free, intimate holiday market features music, fine handmade goods, pastries and craft cider for your holiday celebrations.
Vendors and wares include: baked goods from Moon Scones, beautiful handmade wood candlesticks, spoons and bowls from Arakawa Turning Company, cards, paper goods, and artwork from Dancey Pants Disco and Rhonda Ratray; handmade sewn items from Berta Winker, fun macrame planters, wall hangings and jewelry from Vermont Macrame, winter vegetables and teas from Purple Carrot Farm, Hard Cider from Watson Wheeler Cider, dried wreaths from Farm Field Forage, and regeneratively-raised/organically tanned sheepskins and other farm crafts from Studio Hill Farm.
There will also be plenty of Vermont honey and beeswax candles, as well as handmade soap, and an array of books and gifts in the Museum Shop.
Santa Paws Photo Shoot & Craft Fair (Bennington)
On Dec. 7, Vermont Paws & Boots will be hosting its 2nd annual Santa Paws fundraiser, at 89 Colgate Heights in Bennington. The indoor event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes a photo shoot with Santa Claus, a basket raffle, refreshments and a donation box for the Vermont Veterans’ Home.
This year, the event is adding craft vendors, to include wreath makers, dog bow ties and bags, freeze dried candy, baked goods and wooden signs, to name a few.
The Santa Paws photo shoot is for humans and/or their beloved furry family members. All photos are taken and processed into a 5×7 print and digital copies by Danny Zaffarano, who is donating his professional experience and time.
Rumor has it, Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be joined by a couple of Elves and the Grinch.
“It’s a good joyful time for a great cause,” said volunteer Lisa Hornung.
Vermont Paws & Boots is also taking donations of Christmas gifts for the Vermont Veterans’ Home, to be distributed to the residents.
Molly Stark Elementary School Holiday Bazaar (Bennington)
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 7, at Molly Stark Elementary School (181 Orchard Road, Bennington), all are invited to enjoy: food, face painting, craft vendors, a kids’ craft corner, a dessert walk, silent raffle, 50/50 raffles, door prizes, pictures with Santa and much more. The Molly Stark Elementary School Holiday Bazaar kicked off in 2017.
Santa will be at Molly Stark from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Paddington Bear will be visiting throughout the day as well. There will be a lunch and snack spread donated by local businesses, as well as prepared by our Molly Stark School Community.
For the silent raffle, local businesses and vendors donate items as prizes. One of the biggest draws is a gift certificate tree for local area businesses.
Vendors include The Crafty Duo, Lady Kane’s Sweet Treats, PlateCraft, Highland Ledge Farm, Crafty Mama, Larry Woodworking, Wicked Sniffer Aromatherapy and many other local artists and crafters. There are also Mary Kay, Scentsy and Color Street consultants attending.
Chris Mays is a reporter for the Brattleboro Reformer. He plays guitar in three groups and has a Yorkie named Lemon, who can be followed on Instagram at @lemon_the_yorkie. He enjoys spending time in the mountains.
