Our Day at the Kiwanis Spring Festival
Saturday was a busy busy day for Teresa and I. The fairy tale storytelling event at Cupboard Maker Books is covered in another post, so I’m going to focus on the morning and afternoon, when we were at the Kiwanis Spring Festival at Grace UMC Church in Hummelstown.
It was a beautiful but blustery Saturday when we pulled up to the back of the church’s main hall and unloaded. We thought we were ahead of the curve coming in at 8:30 for the 9 a.m. opening, but we were one of the last vendors in. Craft vendors don’t fool around when it comes to being prepared.
The vendors were a mix of categories including snacks and desserts, knitted blankets, bathroom products (soaps and bath bombs), garden signs, artwork, and bags.
There was one other bookseller. Donna M. Ferguson, who we met at a York Book Expo a few years back, was selling her children’s books through Rail Trail Kitten Books. She was also displaying her line of framed original artwork.
One popular stop for visitors was next door to our table, where Linda was selling her line of whoopee pies. Linda had built a career baking cakes for birthdays, showers, weddings, and anniversaries, and only in the last few years added whoopee pies to the mix. She can be reached at [email protected]. She was assisted during the day by her husband, Gaylord, pictured below.
One of the more unusual vendors there was Luisa Tapia of My Peruvian Treasures. She sells jewelry of her design which is made by Peruvian artisans. They use materials and designs from her culture, which makes the unique. I found a pair of kitty earrings that will be a Christmas gift for my daughter (don’t tell her!).
I had great fun talking to the mother of Crystal Thomas, who sells bath products through Mary’s Treasures of Harrisburg. I was particularly taken with the Day of the Dead-inspired bath bombs.
Speaking of the Day of the Dead, I had to have Susan Obenchain pose with this bag. Obie Originals sells vibrant bags with pockets and a rigid bottom plate, pillowcases, and something I’ve never seen before: a cozy that’ll hold a bowl and keep the contents warm. For more information, email [email protected].
Melissa Dixon (pictured with her daughter) displayed a line of bath bombs, soaps, and other products, infused with scents such as mimosa, charcoal (ok, not a scent, but more like a scrub), coconut and other imaginative sources. Her products can be seen at Alright Bath Products.
Another table that made me stop and look was by “Blue” Godfrey, an artist who does abstract paintings, and also sells locally sourced yarn for knitters. You can see more of her work on her Instagram page.
Finally, there were these beautiful pieces of jewelry created by Kathleen and Carolyn of K n W Designs. They’re still new in the business, but they’ll be showing up at area craft shows, and they’ll gain experience in displaying their fine work.
