Olivia Rice, 8, is surrounded by handcrafted puppets.
Beth Reiber and Jack Graham, both of Lawrence, were among the many people enjoying the musical performance at the Fall Arts and Crafts Festival on Sunday.
Arts and crafts fesitval still draws crowd
Despite a struggling economy, people from across the country took time out of their schedules to stop by the Arts and Crafts Festival, which took place Sunday. Festival officials said the turnout was about the same as in years past. Enlarge video
Offering everything from jewelry to picture frames, live music to hot food and cool drinks, the 30th annual Fall Arts and Crafts Festival filled South Park on Sunday afternoon with vendors and shoppers alike.
While the economy was a concern for organizers, the festival didn’t seem to be affected.
“That was one of the things we were really worried about, the participation,” said Duane Peterson, special events supervisor for Lawrence Parks and Recreation. “We’re about the same size we were last year. We sold about 168 spaces.”
The festival atmosphere is a big draw for both sellers and buyers, Peterson said. Kids can get balloon animals, adults can listen to local bands and anyone can buy just about anything they can think of in the arts and crafts category.
While the event draws heavily on local participants, this year it attracted people from Texas to California.
“(People) come through this area this time of year, in the fall, and it’s just one of the many stops they make here in Lawrence,” Peterson said. “Lawrence is a very good venue obviously because it’s an artsy community.”
The Parks and Recreation Department organizes the event every year.
Comments
Silly_me 3 years, 9 months ago
Darn, I'm sorry I missed it. I enjoy looking at what others create, since my creativity gene is severely lacking :-). I hope we never lose our appreciation for the arts.
jackbinkelman 3 years, 9 months ago
Why do I always hear about this event the day After it happens? Da*n!
mom_of_three 3 years, 9 months ago
I saw the poster down town, and I looked for it in the paper. we went and I bought a few things for upcoming birthdays. I am the impatient walker. I know what I want to look at, and I don't want to dawdle while you talk to your friend or neighbor in the middle of the sidewalk.
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