After about two years, the Augusta Handmade Fair is returning for a two-day event Nov. 5-6.
“We started in 2015 as a semi-annual event until COVID,” said Claire Riche, event coordinator. “We missed three due to COVID.”
The event will feature the juried works of about 75 local and regional artists who create items such as soaps, jewelry, dog collars, pottery, candles, apparel and others.
Food from The Crazy Empanada, sweets from Ann’s Sweet Treats and Keallie’s Baking Co. and beverages from the Vibe Smoothie Bar will also be featured at the fair.
With all the buzz about supply chain problems and the possibility of having problems finding gifts during the holiday season, the handmade fair is a great place to find gifts, Riche said.
“For dads, there are custom pens and men’s grooming products. There’s tons of stuff for moms, and lots of things for children such as peg dolls,” she said, adding that people can find items for almost everyone on their shopping list.
Artists Jay Jacobs, Kenneth Benson and Jacob Boland will be on site with one-of-a-kind items.
Vendors will be spread out with Redemption Church at The Doris Building, 930 Broad St. as the hub. Spillover will be into the J.B. White’s Building and onto the porch spaces of neighboring businesses, the Book Tavern and New Moon Café.
Riche said the handmade fair is typically one day, but this year, a second day has been added.
“We’re really excited about that,” she said.
The Augusta Handmade Fair is a fundraiser for several ministries including Sojourn Church in Kampala, Uganda.
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Riche said the church had started the fair after taking trips to Uganda. The church there does outreach others probably would not want to do.
“They do a trash pick-up, and they get teams to help clean out the ditches. They don’t have a sewer system there,” she said. “Also, they replace a lot of roofs because the people live in huts with tin roofs.”
Not only does it help people in foreign lands, but the vendors are also able to benefit from the sales.
Riche said the church hasn’t done a trip to Uganda in several years.
“We send the money to Uganda instead,” she said.
The cost associated with airfare and other items for such a trip is expensive, and instead of buying them, it’s more advantageous for the Ugandan church to have the money, she said.
The Augusta Handmade Fair will be from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, Nov. 5 and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6.
A list of vendors is available at the fair’s website augustahandmadefair.com.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
