By LISA CAPOBIANCO
STAFF WRITER
The Bristol Senior Center was bustling this past summer with over a dozen volunteers gearing up for the 3rd annual Craft Fair scheduled to kick off today (Oct. 23).
Featuring over 40 craft vendors, the fair will begin today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will continue tomorrow at the same time. The event is free and open to the public. Senior Center crafters, as well as outside crafters will display a variety of items for sale.
Besides crafts, the event will feature a bake sale and a tag sale presented by Friends of the Bristol Senior Center. In addition, a prize drawing will take place, and the coffee shop will provide breakfast and lunch.
Patty Tomascak, director of the senior center, said the craft fair last year had a great attendance from the general public, and hopes the same will hold true this year. Last year the event featured an assortment of crafts from wall hangings to quilts to jewelry and handmade purses, and more. Each item had its own theme, including holiday themes.
From quilters and knitters to ceramics to the woodshop, different groups at the Senior Center volunteered their time to make a variety of items that will be for sale at the craft fair. Volunteers in the woodshop have made dozens of pieces, including wine racks, birdhouses, coffee tables, lawn decorations and more. Volunteers in ceramics have made a variety of Christmas-themed items, including mugs, ornaments, and more.
This year the public will see a variety of handmade quilts for people of all ages, including babies and adults alike. One quilt will be auctioned off during the event. In addition to quilts, senior center crafters have made totebags of all different patterns and sizes, snack bags, infinity scarves made of different fabrics, placemats and table runners. A lot of the printed fabrics were donated to the senior center, said Juanice Raymond, who has taught there for at least 10 years now.
Raymond, who has a professional background in art, was one of the main instructors who volunteered her time to work with senior crafters on their items for the fair.
“We definitely worked hard to keep it professional looking,” said Raymond, who taught senior crafters all about color theory. “All of these are done very well.”
The price of these items will range from $1 to $25, said Tomascak.
The 3rd annual craft fair will continue Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bristol Senior Center, located at 240 Stafford Ave.
Juanice Raymond holds up some quilted items that will be on display at the Senior Center’s third annual Craft Fair today and Saturday.