Hershey Artfest 2018

The separation between the two Hershey groups that ran the Art on Chocolate festival gave vendors the opportunity this year to attend two festivals.

First up was Hershey Artfest 2018, run by Hershey Derry Twp. Historical Society over Mother’s Day weekend.

Held the same weekend as previous Art on Chocolates, Artfest faced the same threat of rain. Of the previous events, most ended about 3 p.m. with thunderstorms, and last year featured a day of rain ranging from drizzle to moderate.

This year, we got lucky. The cloudy morning gave way to bright sunshine, and the storms held off until closing. Vendors began packing up about 4:30 and word reached us 15 minutes later that we should be doing the same as well.

The organizers used a clever way to organize the vendors. Vendors on the street were laid out side by side with irregular gaps to let customers cross. Those in the park and the open field across the street were grouped more loosely, giving us ample display space. There was plenty of room for people to wander and be drawn to the displays.

Naturally, we did some shopping as well. Rebecca Francis displayed a beautiful line of environmentally-friendly rag rugs, made with scissors and an 18th century loom. We bought a large one for the kitchen. Her Rag Rug store can be found on etsy.

We also talked with Debby Casher from Mindfulnice about her line of jewelry and the properties of gems in general.

A new addition to the Hershey festival scene were the flower vendors, grouped at one end of the park near the church.

As for sales, we had a great day. We sold more than a dozen books, and gave away bags and our signature butterscotch crunchie cookies. Best of all, we got to meet people who enjoy reading. Even if they didn’t buy our books, we had a great time talking to them, and feeling like part of the community.

Best of all, we get to do it again on June 23, when the Downtown Hershey Association premieres the new Culturefest (noon-8 p.m.). See you there!