Carson High Holiday Craft Fair offers largest number of vendors

Crafters are busily putting the finishing touches on their wares this week for the 17th annual Carson High Holiday Craft Fair, traditionally the city's biggest craft fair of the year.

"We have 120 vendors and 135 booths, and there is a lot of variety this year," said Cathy Barbie, fair coordinator.

The fair will be from 5-8 p.m. Nov. 18 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 19 at the high school on North Saliman Road. Entrance is on the north side of the school.

Among new offerings will be plaster casts people can have made of hands and feet for gift-giving, Barbie said.

"Our son, his father and grandfather had one made of their hands clasped together for three generations," she said.

There will be potters, stained glass, children's toys and clothing, and jewelry for sale, and some of the students will be offering a kids' activity booth.

A group of women have gotten together for a booth and are donating all the proceeds from their crafts, she said, and there will be lots of food.

Carson High School's culinary arts students will be cooking both days - French dip sandwiches, salad and a cookie for $7 Friday night, and on Saturday, they'll be selling beef or chicken taco salads, hot dogs and chili dogs.

"Other foods will be toffee, teriyaki, dips and salsa, baked goods, fudge - we've got it all," she said.

The band will sponsor Carson City Barbecue during the Saturday portion of the event so that people can order beef briskets or turkey for their holiday dinners. Shoppers also can pre-order their meat for pickup at the fair on that Saturday.

Youngsters can get their pictures taken with Santa for $5, and students will host a huge used book sale which will help with supplies for their senior projects.

The drama department will provide caroling, and some drama students will be dressed as elves helping Santa.

"A lady and her friends from Dayton are making bird houses to help a neighbor not lose her house, so we've got some really good stuff going on this year," Barbie said.

All the proceeds from vendor booth rentals go to student projects, and it usually amounts to $10,000 to $15,000, she said.

"The kids (representing different classes or groups) help unload crafters and help them break down their booths after the fair, and their hours are documented, so the proceeds can divided fairly," she said.

Barbie, an Eagle Valley Middle School social studies teacher, said this will be her eighth year coordinating the fair. "My husband teaches at Carson High School and my son graduated from there three years ago, so it's kind of a family tradition for us," she said.

She also will have a booth at the fair with scrapbooking gift ideas and tole-painted decorative wood items.

Admission is $2 Nov. 18, which includes entry into the event the following day. On Nov. 19, admission is $1.50 or discounted with a canned food item.

"We usually end up with 10-15 barrels of food for FISH (Friends In Service Helping) every year," Barbie said.

The fair is full this year, but vendors interested in participating next year can go to: www.renocrafters.com/schedule.php and scroll down to November.