All of a sudden, it’s the season: time for the Chewonki Holiday Craft Fair! Makers of all ages sold one-of-a-kind gifts to the Chewonki community and the public at this year’s lively fair, which took place on Tuesday, December 10, in the Center for Environmental Education’s Chapin Hall.
The youngest sellers were nine Chewonki Elementary and Middle School students. They bustled around before the doors opened, setting up their work on tables, making signs, stacking up their business cards, and preparing to practice math skills by making change. They sold a rainbow of knitted headbands, felted flowers, bookmarks decorated with the bird silhouettes, clove oranges, holiday ornaments, cloth snack bags, carved wooden wands, and many, many other carefully crafted treasures. The students also sold baked goods to raise money for the local humane society, which they selected as the recipient of their fundraising.
Laila and Maeve, sitting behind a festive display of woolen goods, said they love preparing and selling at the fair. It’s fun to choose what to make, design a display, see who comes to buy, and count up your earnings afterward, they said. Theona gets nervous during set-up but that allows her to shake out her anxiety, she said. Once the fair opens, she relaxes and enjoys interacting with people and showing her work.
Also among the vendors were several current Chewonki staff members including Chewonki Waypoint Coordinator Austin Muir; farmers Phoebe Rogue-Hodley and Izzy Ruffin; and Maine Coast Semester science teacher Eric McIntyre; as well as former staff members Hilary Crowell and Ken Wise. The big room glowed with greetings, hugs, and happy shoppers and creators.
